Life After Mockingjay
by ArtemisKey
Summary: Peeta and Katniss' lives after Mockingjay. This answers what happened after the smoke had cleared and our beloved Protagonist and friends recovered from the rebellion that left many of them broken into little pieces. In other words, This is Life After Mockingjay
1. Chapter 1

_Life after Mockingjay~ by ArtemisKey_

_Summary: Peeta and Katniss' lives after __Mockingjay__ but before the Epilogue_

_Rated T, just incase, I don't know where my writing will go._

_**I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE STORY "LIFE AFTER MOCKINGJAY". MOST THE CHARACTERS (some I **_

_**created myself), "MEMORY" EVENTS AND TERMS ALL BELONG TO SUZANNE COLLINS AND HER **_

_**PUBLISHERS**_

"My name is Katniss Everdeen. I Live in District 12. I survived The Hunger Games twice, I was the Mockingjay.I

had a sister named Prim…" These words echo through my head as I awaken screaming in cold sweat. A nightmare.

They happen almost every night, except those nights where I don't sleep. I can already see Buttercup staring at

Peeta and me the same way he did with Prim, protecting us from anything that might attack us in our sleep.

Peeta awakens because of my screaming and wraps his strong arms around me, rocking me back and forth, like a

parent would do to a child. This motion calms me whenever the nightmares come. He often comes over at night.

Neither of us can sleep without the other. Like back in the cave, we have no one to trust but each other. He

continues to gently rock me while I cry and leave tearstains all over his shirt. Three years have passed since the

rebellion. Peeta has healed nicely. He only tries to kill me once every three to five months now and it's only when

his memory gets mixed up –a fragmented flashback lie. Other than that he's pretty much himself.

I didn't think we'd be this close again. I thought we'd be friends, like the friend in-between acquaintance and best

friend, but we became best friends, not like Gale and me, but like Peeta and me. However, we became lovers again.

My world has changed it will continue changing. It went from plain old Katniss to "Katniss Everdeen 12 Tribute,"

"Katniss Everdeen Girl on Fire" and "Star-crossed Lover", then it went to "Victor of the 74th games" and then to

"Bride" and back to "Tribute" again and then "Rebel". Then it went into the final stages, "Katniss Everdeen,

MOCKINGJAY" and something I have always been, "Katniss Everdeen, Survivor".

Peeta, Haymich and I have grown back together, more in a family sense and my mother adds to that whenever

she visits, which is twice out of the year. Gale's family has moved back, but Gale still lives in 2.

Gale. I sometimes miss seeing and talking to him. I haven't heard from him since I killed Coin. The bitter taste

lingers in my mouth; I can't seem to wash out the acrid tang of the bomb that killed Prim. I just can't put Gale's

role in it behind me. And I know things between us will never be the same.

My day starts now. I get up, slip on my usual clothes then run down to breakfast. Peeta waits for me. He's cooking

eggs, sausage and slicing some fresh made bread. A short conversation starts between us.

"Hey," he says

"Hey," I say in response.

After a period of silence he innocently asks, "How'd I do with the eggs?"

And I answer nonchalantly, "Great," then I ask a question, "are you going to the bakery today?"

I ask this because he hasn't been going lately because he keeps getting bad memories, flashbacks that are flawed

and he needs to take it out on something.

"Yes" he says.

"Alright. Have a nice day," This is our normal morning routine.

I walk up to him and kiss him.

"Love you!" I say as I slip out the door.

"Love you too!" he shouts back from the kitchen.

I leave my house in Victor's Village and make my way to the woods. This is the same path I took three years ago.

When I arrive, the world disappears and I am a hunter again. I feel same rhythm that I have had since I was 11

years old. And so I hunt.

**THAT AFTERNOON**

After hunting, I get cleaned up at home. Peeta and I get in the car that is reserved for long trips and drive to the

train station to get my mother, who is visiting us in 12 for her first visit back. When we arrive at the station I see

my mother standing at the platform. "Katniss!" she yells when she sees me. "Mother!" I yell back in greeting. I

can see her from here, her hair is becoming gray and her skin is becoming sagged around her eyes. We approach

her and she hugs me. I don't shake her off. No one hugs me like this except Peeta; I crave that human interaction

with others so much. My mother is the one person, other than Peeta, whom I have chosen to be able to give me

that attention. Peeta picks up her bags and brings them to our car. And we get in and drive back to our home.

**THAT NIGHT**

**(Post-dinner)**

We invited Haymitch to dinner. This was Peeta's idea, not mine. And he managed to stay sober enough not to get

on my nerves and to assure my mother that there is a "responsible" adult in my life. We sit at the table finishing

off a meal that my mother, Peeta and I made together. Turkey (courtesy of me- a fresh kill), Carrots (my mother's

recipe) and rolls (Courtesy of Peeta) and it's a delicious meal. After dinner, my mother goes to her room to unpack

and Peeta and I set out for a walk in the nearby park. Memorial Park was built for district events and in memoriam

for those who died in the bombing of 12. We stroll along the path, the sun gently setting in the background

Mockingjays sing in the background, making a symphony of song.

"Mockingjays," Peeta says.

"Yeah, I sing to them sometimes,"

"Really? You barely ever sing in front of people," He says

"I can't bring myself to… not since the rebellion.," I respond

"Will you sing for me?" he asks playfully

"No," I say in a sing- song voice.

"Why?" he presses

"Because! People will hear me!" I say

"So? What's wrong with that?"

"I don't like to sing for people unless I feel like singing to people," I say sourly.

He pauses for a moment and we sit down on a bench. The sun is just starting to set. The sky turns from a blue to

an orange-yellow.

After a long pause, Peeta says something.

"What if we got married?" he asks

"I don't know," I say

"Well, describe to me if we got married, how would you see our lives?" he asks

"Pretty much how it is now, But lovey-er?" I respond

"Well, that's vague," He responses

"I know," I give him a smug smile

"Let's say I said: "Katniss Everdeen, You want to marry me? Real or not real?" he asks. I can't believe it. He's

actually asking me. I never imagined it. I stand up with him then kiss him, long and hard. When we break for air in

the winter cold, our foreheads touching and noses barely touching, I whisper "real,"

He woops and picks me up and we twirl giggling. When he puts me down, he slips a simple band with a heart

carved into it onto my finger. We walk back to the house to tell Haymich and my mother the news.

**ARRIVING AT HOME**

"Hey! We're back!" I call up to my mother. Instead she and Haymich are slipping out of the kitchen with a cake

that reads "_Congratulations!"_ My jaw dropped. "You knew?" I squeal like a giddy child. "Yes!" my mother says,

"That's why I came back to 12!" Haymitch then comes closer into the light. "Yeah, sweetheart. Loverboy here

consulted both of us first," He says then he takes a swing of his liquor. We celebrated all next day my mother and I

begin planning my wedding, the real one this time.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey everyone- sorry it takes me so long to post! ( i edit millions of times, about 3 times per a chapter and I have school) therefore meaning that these posts will be monthly unless i actually am quick- maybe faster in the summer __so anyway thanks for your reviews and a special thanks to my non-fanfiction friends, Purplewombat, Gingercello, Fearell, Yankeegirl, my mom and my sister, Jarina (as in Jack Dawson from titanic) _

_DISCLAMER: I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES, CATCHING FIRE, MOCKINGJAY OR THE MAJORITY OF THE CHARACTERS MENTIONED (yes some I trusted my creative genus for!) _

_so here it is... chapter 2_

So here I am. Today. Scared, broken, mended and beautiful.

I stand in front of a mirror. I am wearing one of Cinna's gowns that he made for me. It's white with a silvery off-tone, and strapless with a princess length skirt.

Its midsummer. I never thought I would be at this position. My own wedding, a work of my Mother's and me, the perfect way to celebrate. I invited what I thought to be just a small group of friends, but through the last few years, and the amount of people who helped me and whom I helped; it's not just a few. Haymitch is coming for the alcohol, my mother, Greasy Sae and her granddaughter, Hazelle and her kids because they are like family, Annie and her three-year-old son, Finnick Jr, Johanna, Beetee, Cressa and Pollex, Delly Cartwright, and I couldn't not invite the capitol people who helped me, my prep team, Plutarch, Effie, (even in her powder-puffiness and annoyance she still helped) a few others from district twelve and surprisingly, Gale. He came yesterday and I wanted to see him. When he came to twelve, he brought a wife. Her name is Sage; she's tall, has flaming red hair that looks much like the avox girl's, with deer- brown eyes. When we greeted them, besides meeting Sage, we meet their daughter, Rosemary. She's almost a year old. She has her mother's pale skin and high cheekbones, but Gale's eyes and hair color. She is the sweetest little girl.

My old prep team insisted on putting me on beauty base zero before doing the elaborate braiding that my mother did for the reaping. I slip the strapless gown on my body. The silk feels soft on my warm skin. I look into the mirror and see myself; the dress complements my eyes so that they look as if they are sparkling. I slip into my shallow heels and add the finishing touches; a blue evening primrose in my hair, the Mockingjay locket and a simple bangle that my father gave to my mother. I'm handed a bouquet of blue evening primroses, purple rue and dandelions from Vienna to be prepared for when Haymitch comes to get me.

We are having the wedding outside in Victor's Park, which my house over looks, I look out the window and see the carpet being unrolled and the other touches being added. "Hey, Catnip," I hear, breaking the silence in my room. I spin on my heel to see none other than Gale standing in the doorway. He gives a slight smile while leaning off the doorway.

"Hey, Gale."

"You look beautiful," he says as he pulls me into a hug.

"Thanks," I say, smelling the scent of pine on his suit.

"I came to see you, before you,- um, change," he chokes. He can't seem to say the word "married" and to think of what might have been.

"How's Sage?" I say to distract him from the woe he feels.

"She's good. She and Rosemary are waiting outside."

Haymitch walks in sober as I've ever seen him.

" 'Kay sweetheart, its time," Haymitch says breaking the conversation and alerting me its time for him to walk me down the isle.

"Good luck, Catnip, I hope you're happy." Gale says before he slips out the door, giving a solemn look before leaving. Haymitch offers me his arm. I take it. We step down the stairs, where I see Posie and Greasy Sae's granddaughter, Misty, wearing pale pink dresses from the capitol. The music plays, a simple tune, _Chanson de Matin_ by Edward Elgar, a song written during the time of America and Posie and Misty begin walking down the long carpet, scattering rose petals onto the long flowing scarlet river that they follow. I never thought that the carpet was that long to have taken them about three minutes to cross.

By the end of the song we have a brief pause. Then a simpler song begins. This song is a song that no one will ever forget, the one I made the nation of Panem never forget; Rue's lullaby.

It's missing the vocals, but right before I can thoroughly notice, Haymitch says, "Here we go, sweetheart." then we walk. Haymitch is practically pulling me down the carpet. I'm in shock; so many eyes are staring at me. I glance up at Haymitch; his face is as emotionless as a statue. I must be crushing his arm. I feel as if I'm going to faint, something I haven't felt in front of an audience since my first games. Peeta waits next to our mayor, Dot Greene. Anxiety rushes over me like a wave. I almost turn around to run back into the house where I would hide from the people and everything that this brings me; the flood of memories from the days of which I still bring bitter tears.

The memories themselves are enough to drive a normal person mad, but I, Katniss Everdeen am no ordinary person. These memories start with the little things; the wedding itself, reminds me faintly of Finnick and Annie's. Finnick Odair, a man who risked his life for mine I couldn't save from the rose-smelling lizard-men. Which leads me to think of Rue, a girl who I couldn't save from the Careers in the games, which in turn makes me think of Prim, my own sister; the girl I saved from the games, the girl I saved from the Capitol, the girl who could have become a doctor. The girl I _couldn't _save from a bomb. This Bomb destroyed not only her, it destroyed my mother, too. And most of all, it destroyed me.

Now I stand at the long, anticipated altar. Haymitch leans over and kisses me on the cheek. He smells of Lilac, aftershave and alcohol. Peeta holds out his hand and I put my hand in his, before I take the three steps towards the mayor.

After Greene explains why we are here and then goes to say a bunch of other things I don't catch because I'm not paying attention, I start to stare at Peeta. He's focused on Greene. His face is calm, put together and concentrated; but within his sky blue eyes, I see the same anxiety that surrounds me. I glance at his wrists; you can see the scars from when he dug his wrists into the handcuffs to stop himself from loosing control. I glance back up at his face, he looks emotionless. The only thing I can think of out of all the woe that surrounded the last six years, is of Peeta's role within my life and how he and I both made a such progress after being shattered by an accidental rebellion. He saved me, he saved me from loosing my hope, from losing myself and from loosing everyone else I cared about. And for this savior, I only gave my time, patience and heart.

Suddenly, I break from my thoughts as I hear Greene say " The rings!"

Then, Peeta speaks for the first time in hours. "Katniss Everdeen, I loved you since I saw you. Snow may have broken me, but spring came and faded to a warm summer. It would have been very cold without you there to help me." He says. Then, he slips a ring onto my finger. It's silver and has two stones, the pearl he gave me, and a diamond with the inscription "Will Always Burn a Flame of Hope." Then its my turn.

"Peeta Mellark, I fell in love with you during our first games. And since then and even before then you've saved me. For my dandelion, my speck of hope in a void of darkness, my new hope in the spring." I slip on his finger, a simple gold ring with the inscription "Savior". Greene turns furtive glances at us then says cheerfully, "I now pronounce you man and wife!" and then we leave to the reception and our guests trailing behind us like a line of children.

**The Reception **

The reception is one of the most successful parties of all time in district 12. There are rich capitol foods, my prep team brought capitol champagne; however I see Haymitch is sticking to his cheap liquor. The cake Peeta made is gorgeous; its five tears with white icing, black marzipan flowers with gold accents, and the inside is chocolate; a luxury that Peeta and I can both agree is one of the best of all sweet things.

The room is laid out so that our guests sit at different tables inside the ballroom of the Justice building. Peeta and I sit at at our own table, centered so everyone can see us and we can see everyone.

The capitol guests have requested that since our wedding is so lavish that we have some of their traditions like a first dance, for Peeta and me, we dance to a song that is joyous, but has hidden darkness, it describes our lives in music. Along with that we have the toasting. The generations old tradition of toasting a piece of bread, and sharing it. It seems so simple but yet so symbolic. Our bread is the type of bread that Peeta threw to me those years ago when I was barely alive. It's true what everyone says; you don't feel married until after the toasting.

There's a part where I toss a bouquet- which Effie catches. Then blushes explaining that she isn't seeing anyone, as she turns a bright shade of scarlet. And when she think nobody notices, she sends a furtive glance at Haymitch, who, drunk as he is his mind is still functioning normally to give a drunken smug smile. Who would think that a powder-puff like her would be with someone who's more like a rabid raccoon than a person?

All through the party we are congratulated and the center of everything, even though all great things must come to an end. However, Effie announces before everyone can leave, that how _she _knows things to be done, the bride and groom must be the first to leave. After all "it is only polite."

**AT HOME**

So we are whisked away to my house where Peeta's things have been moved and left. Seeing all of Peeta's things intermingled with mine feels right. Looking at the walls, some of his kinder paintings hang, his clothes occupy a dresser and a closet in the master bedroom, his books now occupy the library, baking tools sit in a kitchen drawer and his precious things are hidden within the house, somewhere only he can find.

We stand in the middle of our bedroom and we look at each other with a "what now?" expression jokingly on our faces, when we hear a meow from on top of our bed. "Hello Buttercup." I say to the aging tomcat, who gives me a silent greeting as if to say "where were you? You were late!" before he bounces out of the room and down the staircase to the first floor.

* Buttercup's POV*

I greet the sweet one's sister, the angry one. The angry one has kept me for a long time now, since the sweet one died. i greet her and the light boy, before prancing out of the room on my paws where I can see the look of the wild in their eyes. I seek refuge and travel downstairs.

I sit by the fading fire and watch the embers smolder when, a mouse has the nerve to prance past me? I pounce upon it with as much grace as possible, but a thud comes from the ceiling and startled I miss the mouse and it goes running off into the kitchen where I chase him.

I stalk my prey around the kitchen, careful not to break any of the angry one's things. Just as the pesky mouse reaches the cheese in the pantry, I corner him and he looks at me with fear in his eyes.

I speak to him "sorry mousie- but you shouldn't be here" I say with a wicked cat's grin then my paw comes down with claws rearing and my paw returns with blood on my orange fur. I take the mouse in my teeth and travel to somewhere safe from the noise and anything that would find my mouse.

**Later**

I feast in Triumph under a set of shelves with my delicious morsel of a prize. Its not necessarily quiet but the mouse is delicious. Its almost dawn when I return upstairs to sleep.

_hope you enjoyed it! _


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for reading everyone! Sorry this is sooooo late and overdue, I had writer's block after I realized this chapter needed to have some more meat to it….

So disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games or its series or the characters- except ones I myself made up.

R&R

Without further Adieu

Chapter III

~ Five Years Later ~

I walk through the streets of District 12, seeing all the new buildings. I pass the new school, the hospital and a re-built Justice building. I pass new buildings holding stores and businesses run by old inhabitants of District 12 and people all over Panem, including Capitol citizens. There are enough houses to spare for all of the district's citizens, all with heating and plumbing.

I make my way toward the re-built Hob. It remains a black market where you can get things for cheap. Then after a few steps, I pass the bakery. It's bustling with activity; Peeta hired some apprentice bakers from other districts to help him, they're working kneading loaves destined for the oven and other bakery activities that where once the jobs of Peeta and his brothers.

When I reach the Hob, it's quiet; I've come at a slow time, when barely anyone is there. I make my way to Greasy Sae's booth; she's making stew.

"Hey Girly. Got any 'beef' for me today?" she says. I crack a slight smile at the joke from the old days, before the rebellion, before my games, when life was simple.

"No, but I have some squirrel that the butcher wouldn't buy." I respond, the butcher never buys anything other than turkey, venison, any other type of fowl and the occasional bear. (Which I've been lucky to stumble upon, once, but I had to go and get my apprentice hunters, four kids, Julius, Fiona, Amos and Katrina, who help me hunt in turn for training. Hunting is no longer illegal but we can't shoot specific animals during specific times of the year and we can only hunt a specific amount of animals)

"Why not? I'll give you five dollars each." She bargains

"Deal" I say.

We exchange squirrels for cash then I buy a bowl of soup for breakfast before making my way to my booth were I sell the pelts from my animals.

I walk behind my counter and start hanging last week's pelts that are now ready for sale. Then I wait for people to arrive.

As I wait I see Haymitch stalk in. He's slouched over and holding his head, obviously in a hangover. He moves towards the liquor seller's booth, a man by the name of Jac, then he sits on one of the stools that Jac keeps handy for drink-ins.

Jac hands Haymitch the liquor that he so craves.

I walk over to my mentor. "Haymitch, I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah. So?" he snaps.

"I thought you'd be with Effie."

"Oh you mean the proper puffball? Nah, she left for the Capitol. She said she was tired of being my mother, and cleaning up after me. So she left." He spits before taking a swing from the bottle.

"So she left."

"Yeah, so? Leave me alone. You kids always bother me at the worst times…" he trails off.

"You don't have to be so bitter to me just because your relationship blew up in your face! When I have a bad day I don't go strait for a bottle of liquor that can just put me in a worst state, whereas you just sit hours at a bar drinking your life away. Can't you ever do anything useful?"

"Oh really sweetheart? I do something useful. I heard geese. Oh and by the way last I checked your bad days start with nightmares and then spend days laying on the couch wrapped in grief and the overbearing fear of having the Capitol back, and dealing with lover boy's outbursts. So I don't think me sitting at a bar is such a bad thing! Out of all of us victors I'm the least fucked up out of all of us." The words he spits are like salt in my still bleeding wounds, I can't stand it.

I smack him before I stalk back at my booth and get ready for the day.

~That Night~

I enter my home in Victor's Village. The smell of lamb stew and cheese buns overwhelm me in the front hallway.

"Peeta! I'm home!" I shout into the kitchen in the back of the house.

"Good! Dinner's almost ready!" He yells back. I walk into the powder room and wash my hands and face.

When I enter the kitchen, Peeta has set the table and now in the places where we sit there are two bowls of my favorite lamb stew. In the center of the table is a basket of cheese buns. We sit down and begin eating.

"How was the bakery today?" I ask him

"Good, but Pierce burnt some bread and almost lit the whole kitchen on fire! Some days I don't know what to do with that boy." Peeta says. He treats both of his apprentices Pierce and Riz like younger brothers, including scolding the orphaned boys. "How about the booth?" He asks

"It was good, I got some money for some pelts, Greasy Sae bough some squirrel and yeah, Haymitch and Effie broke up." I report my day, leaving out Haymitch's many insults to me, knowing that if I repeat what he said, Peeta might erupt into a venom attack.

"So an average day?" he says

"Yep." I respond indifferently.

We eat in silence for a bit, enjoying each other's company, until Peeta suddenly drops his fork.

"Katniss, when you gave me the berries, were you hoping I would eat them and die? Real or Not Real?" he asks.

"Not Real." I say, I sometimes find myself thinking about why he asks things like this, but then I remember the Capitol made him think I was a monster. A mutt, who would do anything to see him dead.

We sit in silence again, until after dinner, as we're sitting on the couch by the fire, the place we usually do after one of these events. Peeta might not react the same he did eight years ago, but it still hurts him inside. We sit on the couch watching the flames rise.

"Katniss?" he asks me.

"Yes?" I reply

"Never mind…" he trails off. But I want to hear what he has to say.

" No, what is it?" I ask

"No, you'll give me the angry face." He says,

"What angry face?" I say

"The one where your eyes get squinty, you eyebrows furrow and you scowl." He says

" I Promise I won't." I say.

"Well you know I have plenty of time to think while I'm at work, and I've been thinking, Katniss, it's been eight years since the rebellion, almost a decade. Panem is way safer than it's been since before our lifetimes. I just want to know if you've ever thought about having kids?" he says.

I'm stunned. Peeta speaks the truth saying that the world is safer, but to me, I feel as if it can just crumble away and leave me back in the ruins of whatever life I came from. Where kids are subject to the Hunger Games, a nightmare that still repeats in my mind every night. My biggest fear of those gruesome, merciless gladiator fights, is to have any child of mine subjected to them.

"I haven't." I say before giving a silence.

"Well could we?" he pleads, giving me such a sweet look with those sky blue eyes.

"Sorry Peeta, I just don't think the world is safe enough." I say, holding back all of my feelings of sadness and restraint before stalking off to bed.

I brush my teeth, and dress in my nightclothes before slipping an anti-depressant past my lips. I'm supposed to take one every morning and every night before I go to bed, they give weird side effects, like unusual peppy-ness, that's how you know they're from the Capitol.

I slip into sleep where I dream of the games, where all twenty-four tributes are my children, and snow is a monster that comes down and kills them all.

End of Chapter 3.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey everyone! Thanks to everyone, Members, Non-members, everyone who reads this story! (But I really wish you all would please, please, please review! I __**LOVE**__ knowing how I'm doing!) (I will also answer any questions that you'd like to ask about the story!) _

_Okay so without more chitchat! _

_Life After Mockingjay: Chapter 4 and Mini chapter 4 ½_

**10 years from chapter 3 (more officially, 15 years since Katniss and Peeta's wedding (aka chapter 2) **

I'm back in the 75th arena. I'm alone. Not another unfortunate tribute soul in this horrible hellhole of a place. Just me. Alone.

I hear a rustle come from the trees behind me, and I turn from looking at the annoying pink horizon.

Behind me, the lizard-men creatures circle me. I load my bow. Shifting the shaft back and fourth, having no idea how many I can hit before they attack, probably decapitating me, like they did Finnick…

"Hello Miss Everdeen." Says an icy voice behind me.

I don't need to turn around to know who it is.

"What do you want Snow." I snarl at the man who caused me to risk everything for my sister, who a cruel heartless woman killed.

"Miss Everdeen, as you know I've been running short on Victors to use as prizes lately, and I've given you out. I've come to fetch you from this place."

"You know that you can't do that! What about Peeta!" I scream back at him… giving me out? Isn't he afraid of the riot that would happen if the "Star-crossed lovers of district 12 were broken up?

"Don't you remember Miss Everdeen? You killed Peeta Mellark last year, he ate the poisoned berries at the cornucopia, you tricked him into eating them, thinking that you'd eat them too." He smiled.

I Killed Peeta?

This isn't possible.

" No! That didn't happen!" I scream, tears begin flooding down my cheeks.

"Oh Miss Everdeen, we promised not to lie to each other…" His grin becomes snakelike. "Now about that little job I need you to do…" He says,

"I won't do it!" I scream at him.

"I think you would think differently if something were at stake."

What could be at stake? Prim is Dead, Gale is far away and Peeta-well, according to Snow is dead.

"I SAID NO!"

"I hoped it didn't have to come to this," he says, making his lizard mutts clear apart, holding Prim. Wait? Prim? But she's dead?

Isn't she?

"Katniss!" she yells as the mutts hold her back

"Well, Miss Everdeen, I guess this is what needs to be done." He says then nods to his lizard beasts.

They claw at my sister, eating away at her. I can't see her, but her screams echo in my ears.

When they pull away, I see a scorched, dead Prim. The same way they had found her.

Burned so badly she couldn't deal with the exposure, her hair burned away at parts, her sweet face, badly burned and her body so burn-ridden her skin in some places turned to ash. At first they weren't even sure it was her, but with some use of finger print records they identified her.

"Prim!" I sob. The tears run down my cheeks, and I crumple into a ball.

Snow just stands there, beginning to cackle.

As he just stands there, I lift my head, and then, I lunge at him, having dropping my bow. My nails are flying at him.

Snow catches my wrist. I scream in frustration and then start kicking and screaming. Snow seems to have grown large brute muscles and holds me still.

I just thrash, and scream hoping someone would come to my rescue, but the arena is empty.

I scream.

"Goodbye Miss Everdeen." He says and lifts a knife to my neck.

I wake up in cold sweat screaming. The room is still dark, slightly fading in the beginning sunrise.

I sit there, hugging my knees and sobbing. Prim is dead. The same as she's been for the past twenty years, and its all my fault.

I hear Peeta waking up then I feel him putting his arms around me.

He shelters me in his arms. I cling to his green cotton nightshirt as if my life depends on it.

"Its okay, it was just a dream…" He whispers to me.

Soon I fall asleep in his arms, too tired to continue, hoping that the dreams don't come back.

The next morning I come downstairs and I see Peeta in the kitchen cooking omelets.

"Good morning." He smiles

I smile back at him, "Good morning."

"Here, it's cheese." He says handing me a plate.

I take the plate and sit at our kitchen table.

When I eat the egg, it tastes excellent.

After I finish breakfast I make my way to the forest to hunt, knowing afterward I would have to go my business in the hob.

**That Evening**

After Peeta and I ate a dinner of Venison stew, we went to the couch and the fireplace and sat. I looked through today's mail.

There are three letters and a utility bill.

One of the letters is from Mayor Green, asking if I could attend an opening of a new seam area, whose homes are now like the ones in the town.

The next one was from Annie Cresa and her son Fin.

The last is from President Paylor. She's remained President for twenty-three years now, and it's only been a reign of peace, since she came to power. Each district is equal now, all the homes are nice, medical attention is great and no one is starving anymore.

I open her letter.

_Dear Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, _

_I would like to inform you that we soon will be destroying the 47__th__ Hunger Games arena. _

_I would like to know if you both would like to join us for the demolition. _

_Please give a response quickly so we can set a demolition date. _

_Sincerely, _

_ President Paylor _

The place that haunts my nightmares is being destroyed.

The place where 22 other tributes died.

The place where Rue died.

The place where Peeta and I began to grow together.

Even if the place holds sorrowful memories for me, it was a place where Peeta and I began to work together, and where we started a slight romance.

But this was the place where I disobeyed the rules, giving little thought to small things, like covering Rue in flowers, and singing her to death, then the one mistake, not being able to kill Peeta, threatening to eat the poisonous berries, this roused my nation into a rebellion that changed Panem forever.

"Peeta?" I say,

"Yes Katniss?" he responds,

"They're destroying the 74th arena." I tell him.

"They are?" He asks

I nod my head. Peeta stays silent for a few minutes, deep in thought.

"When?" He asks

"As soon as we respond on whether we want to be there for the demolition." I say

"Katniss?" Peeta says after a short pause, "Why don't we stay a night in the arena?"

"No." I respond, why would I want to be in a place where 22 children died, some of them we ourselves killed? I would never want to spend another minute in that terrible arena.

"Why not Katniss? It might help make your nightmares, maybe make them less horrible." He said

"Peeta, I don't think we should, I can't live with the guilt, I killed people there, _you_ killed people there, I don't want to re-live those memories." I tell him. I can't live with guilt, but I do, I don't want to be where it happened.

"But what about a happier memory of the arena?" he says

"Like what?" I say

"Our time in the cave, where we only relied on each other." He said.

The cave? I guess I could stand one night there, where nether of us killed anyone, in fact, I saved Peeta, and he saved me.

" I think staying in the cave would be okay." I say.

He smiles at me. I begin to write the letter, telling President Paylor that we would like to be present for the destruction, and request that we could stay a night in the arena.

_**Okay everyone so here is a super special bit for all my readers!**_

_**This was going to be labeled "Chapter 4 ½" as a different chapter, but because it's taken me FOREVER to update, I'm including it as a little treat- plus this is actually, much more important than the above chapter, and it gives a bit of FORSHADOWING! So yeah, thanks for being so patent with me, I've been procrastinating on this chapter. (I'm writing another story and after I update one story, I update the other. Just how I work) **_

Chapter 4 ½ __

I stand with my hands on the sides of the sink, my back arched, my face is facing the ground, and my eyes, are looking into the bathroom mirror.

I see myself. I look dangerous. I see a glimpse of the 16 year old me, who sacrificed everything for her sister. The 17 year old me, who would do anything to see Peeta safe. The same me who accidentally ignited a rebellion, and became its mouthpiece. The same games and rebellion that broke many people, leaving them in pieces, left then to put their scattered lives back together again.

I examine my face, same grey eyes, same dark hair, same olive skin, same me I've been used to staring at since I was little, with slight aging. But I'm not the same. I was shattered into little pieces, with bits lost, and found, and then crookedly put back together, like a jagged shard of glass. Part of the new me, is that I've killed people. Its not like killing animals; its killing a person who was just like me in a way. And every soul I've slayed has left a mark upon my soul, one that won't let me forget what I've done.

I raise my head back up, and see myself in all. I look older. I no longer look like the child I was when I was pushed into the hunger games. I look more mature, but still young, after all I'm just 32, but I know that I'm just going to get older, weaker and eventually shrivel up.

I walk to my bed in the dark and lay down in the silky sheets. Peeta is already softly breathing as he sleeps next to me in the dark.

I move closer to him and lay my head onto his chest.

I stare up at the ceiling, and I think to myself; I was a nobody, I became something, then faded into the background. I see my 32 years, and personally, I believe that I have achieved nothing. My life has been filled with survival, it's the only thing I know.

I look up at Peeta's face. He looks peaceful, his mid-cheek length hair is swayed to back onto his pillow, crowing his face like a halo, he looks nothing like the broken boy that helped me piece myself back together, then with whom I grew back together. I remember his constant pleas for children.

And then I realize; I want them too.

I smile and relax my head on his chest, where I hear his heart.

The heart that had once been broken, the heart that had stopped thrice, and the heart;

That loves me.

**Thanks For reading! **

**And I promise that it will take me less time to update next time! **

**A bit of a teaser for you all: **

"**Back in the arena" **


	5. Chapter 5

_Life after Mockingjay Chapter 5 _

_Sorry its been taking me a while to post, I'll try to post every month in the next nine months while I'm in school. Sometimes I might update sooner or later depending on how much time I have. _

_If you like "Life after Mockingjay" by me, then try out "The 57__th __Annual Hunger Games!" by me, artemiskey (PLEASE SUBMIT A TRIBUTE!) And for all fans of the movie Titanic, please check out my story, "Evenfall Dreams". If you're looking for anything else to read, defiantly look at my favorites list, because those stories have to be good to make them there! _

_Also this is a T fic, later on there is major swearing, so if you think everything is sunshine and rainbows, you're wrong. _

_DISCLAMER: Sadly, I don't own "THE HUNGER GAMES", most characters and events mentioned are not mine, but some characters and some events are mine, and I do own those (ie: last chapter) so yeah, The Hunger Games isn't mine. _

After reluctantly getting on the train a few days ago, our train pulls into the capitol station. I hold my breath as I see the place where over 15 years ago, my sister died during the final strike of the rebellion.

The city has changed in the decade and a half since I've been here.

They have approved our night in the arena; tomorrow night we will stay in the arena, the following morning at 10 o'clock the arenas will be destroyed, at the same time the games were launched each year. I have no idea how to react-the feeling of actually staying in the place that has plagued my mind for years.

Peeta and I make our way to our hotel room. Ironically, it's in the old tribute building that has now been converted into a hotel. They give us the "penthouse suite", otherwise known as the district 12 floor. They say they gave us the top floor because we're famous, I just think they did it because that's where the capitol people think we'll be comfortable.

The elevator rises up. It's so strange, because now we're here to stay for a few nights instead of being kept here for capitol fun before being thrown to our deaths in an arena.

The elevator bings, and the doors open. I step onto the floor of the Penthouse suite. Nothing has changed. It's exactly how I last saw it. I suddenly make a beeline for my old room. I walk down the long hallway filled with rooms, and open the door that used to be my old room. A space I was last in following the day when I shot President Coin.

Now the bed is covered in a soft burgundy with a cream comforter. The walls are also the same burgundy color. The carpet is black and the bathroom is the same. I guess the tribute rooms just needed to be restyled. I close the door and turn around to see Peeta staring back at me.

"It hasn't changed a bit." I say

He nods his head in agreement.

A few hours later-

After dinner on the part of the first floor, which has been converted to a restaurant, we return to our room and watch capitol television, which we soon turn off because nothing interesting is on. We decide to go to bed early, knowing we would need every ounce of strength and sanity tomorrow, when we return to the arena.

-The Next Morning-

The Hovercraft glides over the land and lands outside the arena, in the hangar attached to the area where they load the tributes.

We're brought to our load rooms, and told to stand on the platforms to be put in the arena, just because there was no other entrance…

When they turned the arena into a capitol tourist attraction, the game makers and the publicists thought it was a great idea to let the people go in through the launch tubes, minus the disks that blow up if you don't step off of them. They've also taken out all the deadly mutts and added props, life-sized figurines and holograms to show where each tribute stood. Suddenly I hear a robotic female voice;

"Welcome to the 74th Hunger Games Arena, in a few moments you will be lifted into the cornucopia, when you are there you will meet your tour guide. Get off the plates when you are told, but they won't explode if you wish to get off earlier or later. There will be no littering in the arena and please do not eat anything inside the arena, because it may be poisonous. Have a nice day." The voice ceases for a minute before I hear the robotic count down:

"FIVE. FOUR. THREE. TWO. ONE! HAPPY HUNGER GAMES!"

The tube shoots up and I have the glass shell above my head again, the only missing bit is the small archway that I tributes must jump through. I stand on a fake exploding plate that is hovering in the air. Peeta shoots up near me, in the exact area where he was. I stare at the gleaming cornucopia, I can't help but then to look to my sides and see holograms of each of the deceased tributes.

When I finally jump down I slowly walk to the cornucopia, where Peeta meets me. I look at the line of tributes; I see each hologram, including one of my sixteen year-old selves, all caught in brave emotionless expressions.

My throat begins to fill with tears when I look at Rue's hologram.

She looks immortal, and ghostly at the same time. She looks like a beautified version of herself, hair perfectly curled, skin clear and no deep stab from the spear. She looks brave and ready to take on the world.

I stare at all of the tributes, attempting to avoid the holographic gazes of Glimmer, the Girl from district four, Marvel and Cato, the tributes who I killed, who probably would have killed me first. When I do look at them, I look at Glimmer first, I indirectly killed her by dropping the trackerjacker nest on her and the girl from district four. Both could have survived and lived, but both perished in a state of hallucinations. Marvel was killed for fatally injuring Rue. He was so much stronger, and I had to protect Rue, the same way I wanted to protect Prim. Cato, my final kill-his hands were drenched with blood compared to mine; he killed so many. Victory was within his grasp, with only Peeta and me standing between him and his goal. He tried, but failed, and finally out of an act of mercy, I shot him.

All four of these people could have been great outside the games, all of them had someone they cared about, and yet, Peeta and I made it out. I feel each of their deaths like another blow of the many that I killed, and the many that have killed and the others who have died so that I may live.

Peeta wraps his arms around me, knowing that it's hard for me to be here. I wrap my arms around him and bury my head in his shirt. For a moment, knowing it's also hard for him, with his altered memory, it's hard for him to think about the games, I know he hopes that this will help solve his hallucinations and messed-up memories.

I see him clench is fists, digging his nails into his palms while a particularly horrible memory resurfaces.

We leave the cornucopia, with strict instructions to meet the hovercraft there tomorrow. We make our way around the forest. Eventually we end up in Rue's death spot. The figurines are of me holding a bow and shooting an arrow into Marvel's neck and Rue still on the ground encased in the net.

I drop to my knees as tears begin to cascade down my face. Guilt and grief envelope me. I look at Rue's very lifelike figurine and feel the failure of not saving her or Prim. I'm breaking down. Peeta holds me tight and we stay crumpled like that for a few minutes. Then I shoot up, startling Peeta. I race over to the wildflowers and grab as many as I can hold. I run back to the spot where Peeta waits. I throw Rue's Figurine aside and gently lay the flowers down and start to sing the lullaby.

"_Deep in the Meadow, under the willow. _

_A bed of grass, a soft green Pillow._

_Lay down your Head, and close your sleepy eyes._

_And when again its morning, the sun will rise. _

_Here is safe, here is warm, the daisies guard you from every harm, _

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true, _

_Here is the place, where I love you. _

_Deep in the Meadow, hidden far away, _

_A cloak of leaves, a moon beam ray, _

_Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay, _

_And when again its morning, they'll wash away. _

_Here is safe, here is warm, the daisies guard you from every harm, _

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true, _

_Here is the place, where I love you."_

"I won't ever forget you Rue." I say to the ground ever so quietly that Peeta doesn't take notice. After a few minutes more, I stand up and walk over to Peeta and we continue walking. We walk all over the arena until I come to the place where I found him in the mud, I laugh at the memory that he doesn't remember.

"What's so funny?" he asks.

"This is where I found you. You camouflaged yourself in mud. When they announced that both from the same district could live, I raced to find you, and I almost stepped right on your face." I smile at him.

He begins to laugh at the story, and then we hold hands.

Soon we reach our old cave just as the sun sets.

"Should we sleep here?" I ask

"Why not?" He says with a smile.

We crawl inside the cave to see replicas of our old equipment are inside, along with our own figurines, which we toss out of the cave.

Inside as darkness creeps upon us, we eat our food and watch the sun fading, knowing that there's no one to hurt us now.

We sit on a large sleeping bag, my knees are pressed up against my chest, and silence surrounds us.

"I always feared having people I loved in the games." I say, breaking the silence, "So I made a deal with myself to never marry and never have children that could become subject to the games," I finish.

"Really?" Peeta asked,

"Yes, but I fell in love, and then got married. I never regretted it." I say, then smiled at him. He smiled back.

"I've been thinking lately," I said "the world has changed; it's safe now. So, want to have kids?" I smile at him.

He gives me a giant smile.

"Why not?" he said.

I lean forward and kiss him.

Soon, we find ourselves inside the sleeping bag, yet don't sleep until two in the morning.

-The Next Morning-

We walk out of our cave and made our way to the cornucopia, the gold horn shining in the distance and we continue our descent. We sit in the mouth of the cornucopia, and kiss passionately.

Suddenly, the hovercraft comes down and we have to climb up into the craft and sit inside the hovering living room.

President Paylor sits staring at us.

"My you two-you're like a bunch of giddy teenagers!" she said.

We just giggle at her.

A few minutes later we look out the window to see the arena getting smaller and smaller and further away.

"Okay, demolition in: Five, Four, Three, Two, One- Happy Hunger Games!" she says happily, watching as the arena is destroyed by multiple bombs. All that remains is a cooling place of dust.

-Back in the hotel-

We open the door to our penthouse, only to see Haymitch sitting in the living area. "I can't believe that woman!" He screams, buzzed but not drunk yet, grasping a bottle of his liquor.

"Haymitch! What the hell are you doing here?" I yell at him,

"I come here with a problem and all you're wondering is why I crashed your vacation?"

"Okay, Haymitch, what's your problem?" Peeta asks calmly,

"Effie, that bitch, I can't believe her. Five years? Five years and she never told me! I deserved to know! That's my Fucking problem!" He says pounding his fist on a table.

"Deserved to know what?" Peeta asks.

He throws a piece of crumpled pink stationary at us.

_Dear Haymitch, _

_How have you been? I hope the world has treated you well in the last five years. _

_I really wish I had written you sooner, I just didn't know how you'd react. We have a daughter. Her name is Lavender, and she's five years old. I found out shortly after I walked out. She's very much like you, strong willed, unruly and clever. _

_I know you'll be upset, but please, she's begged me on why her Daddy isn't here with her, and every time I just say you're away and you can't come see her right now. _

_Her birthday is in a few weeks, April 15__th__. It would really mean a lot to her if you'd come. _

_Sincerely, _

_Effie Trinket. _

Peeta and I just stare at Haymitch in shock for a few minutes.

"So you came?" I ask him,

" No, I came to just see you two," He says sharply, his voice dripping with sarcasm

"Of course I came, might as well." He said.

"You have a month. What's your plan?" I ask

"What do you mean?" he says

"What Katniss means is, you can't show up to a five –year-old's birthday party drunk, you have to sober up." Peeta says.

Haymitch is quiet for a while.

"Fine. But why did Effie name her Lavender?" He mumbles "Out of all the names why the one of the girl I lost?" He says to the air.

"Maybe she thought you'd like the name." Peeta says.

Haymitch glares at him.

After a few moments of glaring, I stop the silence.

"Haymitch, take a shower."

"Why?" He inquires

"Because, you're not going to dinner smelling like someone dumped alcohol all over you.

He showers then we walk off to dinner. After we come back up to bed, Peeta and I talk about the shock of Haymitch actually having a daughter.

_End of Chapter Five. _


	6. Chapter 6

Life after Mockingjay chapter 6

_Hey everyone! I am so sorry that it took me __**forever**__ to get this chapter posted, it took me so long because I've started school, this is a long chapter and my town got hit during Hurricane Sandy… so my house is out of power… luckily my mom has a laptop with charge so I can finish this chapter. So please enjoy this chapter and know that it will take me a while to post chapters with my busy academic and extracurricular schedules. _

_Quick note: this chapter takes place 15 years after Katniss and Peeta's wedding, which means 18 years since the war. I know everyone loved Buttercup's POV in chapter 2, but sadly Buttercup is a cat, at the time he was an adult, and if a cat's lucky they make it to 20+, sadly, Buttercup is mortal, so I can't put a second Buttercup POV, because he's dead. (Which is really sad.) But I would have, if it had fit. And you never know, Buttercup is a boy kitty that wasn't neutered, so he could have some offspring running around. :D _

_Disclaimer: Sadly, I am not Suzanne Collins (although some say I do write like her) and so I don't own the hunger games, Characters, past events, places, etc. However, I do own anything that's happened chapter one until present, and some characters introduced in those chapters._

_Second disclaimer: this is a T fic, if you have a problem with the minor cursing, slight graphic material and the slight thoughts of adult content, then I'm just saying, you choose to read this fic. _

_So yeah, here's chapter 6!_

-8 months later- (So, Late October, last chapter took place in March)

The cold air whips around me as a stalk through the now naked forest with its colors covering the ground, turning into a brown mush. Quiver is on my back along with my bow in hand, my young hunters walking behind me. I lift my bow and draw an arrow from my quiver, load the arrow and fire it into the eye of an unknowing squirrel; it falls dead from a tree. I go and fetch it back from the ground and remove the arrow from its eye before tying it to a rope and tying it to my belt.

I hear someone behind me draw they're bow and fire. Julius shoots down a turkey, and then proceeds to pick it up. The four kids are in their late teens, but they still insist on hunting with me; soon I'll probably just tell them to go out on their own, because they don't need me around anymore to hunt.

"Okay, I think that's enough for today." I say, and then I turn to walk back to town. I hear the others storing their bows and arrows where they put them, and then we continue to walk.

Walking through the clear trees, beginning to look so bare and gray, smelling the crisp sting of the soon to be winter air. Suddenly, I feel nauseous and quickly run to an area of nearby bushes and proceed to vomit up any bit of breakfast in my stomach from two hours ago.

"Are you okay?" I hear Fiona say, standing next to me as she grabs my braid and holds it back from my retching face and strokes my back. The rest have gathered behind her, watching.

This is the third time today, and about fifth time this week, which has been going on for about maybe two weeks.

After I finish, I stand up and am handed a piece of gauze from our medical kit and I wipe my face.

"I'm fine." I say to them to answer Fiona's question.

We then proceed to leave the forest, skin the prey and go to the butcher.

The butcher shop is owned by a couple in they're fifties, Mr. and Mrs. Rine. We walk into the shop and Mrs. Rine is behind the counter butchering what looks to be the remnants of a cow. She's a short robust woman; she has skin that has a reddish hue with a pug nose and squinty eyes, with her brown hair dangling in her face, but she's really I nice person, who has a firm but kind heart.

"Hello Mrs. Rine." I say

"Hello Ms. Everdeen" She replies.

"Me and my hunters have some meat. Are you interested?" I ask her.

"What you got?" she asked.

"Some squirrel, two turkeys, three rabbits, six quail and one deer." I say. Today we were lucky enough to catch an old stag.

"I'll take the turkeys, rabbits, quail and the deer, you can keep the squirrel, and it never sells." She says "How's about 50 dollars?"

"Deal." I say.

After the deal is made, I meet up with my group and divvy out their pay based on what they shot and caught. In the end I walk away with the grand total of 30 dollars.

I walk to my house and hang up the pelts of the animals, the kids give me theirs because they have no use for an animal skin because of the new law that makes sure every district receives new things and has enough for everyone. After I put the pelts up I take my ones from last week down, they are now in sell able condition.

Then I proceed to walk to the Hob with my merchandise in hand.

I walk into the Hob and go to my booth and lay out my wares, then proceed to go to Greasy Sae's booth and offer her the squirrel, she pays me and then proceeds to throw the squirrel into her immense pot of soup.

I proceeded to sit and wait for people to buy my wares. I sold some by lunch.

During lunch I walked over to Greasy Sae's booth and paid for her soup.

I sip the soup with the squirrel meat that I contributed. Not but ten minutes later, I randomly vomit it all up.

"Having trouble keeping it all down Girly?" Greasy Sae asks.

"Yeah, I am." I say

"You should get yourself checked out, I heard about a stomach flu is going about." She says before turning around and continuing the soup making. I'm amazed at her. She's so old and still on her feet doing work despite everything, with some help from Misty.

"I will. Where's Misty?" I ask

"Misty is back at home, she has the stomach flu." She says.

"Do you need any help?" I ask her.

"No Katniss, I'm fine." she says.

"No, really let me help you." I say "Its the least I can do."

"Alright, get cooking!" she says.

-Later that day-

The door opens and I hear Peeta walk through it.

"I'm home!" he says

"In here! I have dinner!" I shout from the kitchen.

He walks in and we eat some soup from Greasy Sae's booth.

As we sit watching the television, hearing news on the districts, we hear a knock at the door.

Peeta goes and opens the door.

"Haymitch?" Peeta says

"Yes Loverboy, I actually bothered to knock this time." Haymitch says.

"What Haymitch?" I say walking up to our door.

"Aren't I invited in sweetheart?" he says.

Peeta moves out of the way as Haymitch moves into our front hall.

"Okay, I need you two to come to the Capitol with me." he says

"Why?" I say.

"I need to pick Lavender up from Effie in the Capitol, and then the next Capitol train leaving to district 12 isn't until three days later. I need you to keep me sane from Effie." he tells us.

"But you'll have Lavender." I say

"But Katniss, she's a little girl." Peeta says, "We're going."

"Great. I've got to go" Haymitch says and slips out the door while saying "Train leaves in two days!"

I turn and look at Peeta.

"What were you thinking?"

"He's our mentor and he doesn't have many friends there! Besides, I want to see some of the parts of the Capitol where we haven't been." he says, seeing my angry expression. "And I want to go to this." he says, producing a piece of nice stationary that he then hands me.

_Dear Ms. Everdeen and Mr. Mellark, _

_ This year marks eighteen years since the rebellion. We would like to invite you to a Highly Decorated Rebel and Victor's dinner. _

_To be held at the President's mansion on the 25th of November at five O'clock PM. _

_Hosted by Lea Paylor, president of Panem. _

_RSVP by the 17th _

"I wonder why she wants to meet with us." I say.

"I've already taken the liberty of RSVPing." he says.

"I guess I'll have to pack." I say.

We go to bed and I begin to feel conflicted about going to the Capitol.

the next morning-

"Katniss, I'm taking you to the clinic."

"I'm fine, Peeta. I swear, it's probably just the stomach flu."

"Even so, you still should get checked out, just in case, so if it is the stomach flu, you can get medicine." Peeta says.

"Fine, I'll go."

"Today." he says.

I send him one of my famous glares, then I leave for the clinic, because I know if I don't do it now, he'll never let off it.

-At The Clinic-

I sit in a cold exam room. The white walls, cold table and exam tools remind me so much of my tribute room where they kept me after my sister's death. I sit on the cold table in a modest hospital gown. I feel so defenseless and vulnerable. The door opens and a average height woman of about forty with dark hair comes in. "Hello Katniss, My name is Dr. Hyphen." she says before sitting down on a stool by a desk and quickly scanning over some papers in a manila folder.

She begins to examine my ears and eyes and then takes my temperature.

"Okay so why are you here today?" she asks

"I've been throwing up multiple times in the past few weeks, so my husband decided I need to go get checked out. I think it's the stomach flu everyone has."

"Okay, so besides vomiting, has everything else been normal?" she asks.

"Yeah... so far nothing has been out of the ordinary." I say.

She gets up then proceeds to poke and examine every inch of my body.

"Everything seems normal, But just in case, I want a blood and urine sample." she says.

"Um- okay." I reply at her diagnosis.

"Here," she hands me a cup with my name written on it. "Bring it to the lab when you're done, they'll take your blood there. If there's anything abnormal we'll contact you."

"Thanks." then I remember, "And Doctor, I'll be in the Capitol for a few days."

"Alright. Feel better." she says with a slight smile.

I dress myself and warmth suddenly reappears.

-The next morning-

"Katniss! Come on! We're going to miss the train!" Peeta yells to me from outside as I run down the stairs grasping my jacket and sporting untied bootlaces.

I scramble to the loaded car where Peeta and Haymitch wait for me.

"Took you long enough Sweetheart." Haymitch remarks.

"I'm sorry Haymitch, I was throwing up yet again- would you prefer me to instead vomit on your shoes?" I say sharply

He glares at me then all climb into the car and go to the train station.

-After the Train Ride, in the Capitol-

The train pulls up to the station and I see Effie out the window, this time sporting a neon purple wig, along with a little girl with dark brown hair in a violet play dress.

We exit the train and take out our luggage then approach the pink puffball.

"Katniss! Peeta! It's been so long!" Effie squeals wrapping her arms around us, trying to be careful not to stab us with her claws.

"Its nice to see you too Effie." Peeta says and I smile so I don't seem impolite.

"Oh and you know Lavender!" she says motioning to her daughter who's hiding behind her mother's skirt.

I look at the little six year old girl. She's skinny, but not underfed, her dark hair leads to her mid back, her olive skin is clean and she stares at me with large gray eyes.

I turn to the six year old. "Hello Lavender." I smile.

She smiles, then her eyes get wide and she smiles even bigger.

"Daddy!" she shrieks happily and runs to Haymitch, who luck fully has only had one drink.

Haymitch seems to become more alive and joyful when his little girl runs towards him.

She jumps into his arms and he begins to laugh.

I just stare. This isn't the Haymitch I know. At all.

"Well! We should all go to the Hotel and get you all ready for the Victor Dinner!" she says.

-At the Dinner-

We walk into the President's mansion and are greeted by President Paylor.

"Hello, I'm glad you could make it." She says with a smile.

"Thank you for having us." Peeta says while I smile.

"Go on into the parlor, everyone is waiting in there." She tells us.

We are escorted into the parlor where we see some of our friends.

"Took you long enough Sweetheart!" Haymitch says as he comes to us with a glass of champagne.

"Katniss! Peeta! It's been so long!" Annie says as she approaches us with a large smile. A young man who looks remarkably like Finnick follows her.

"You remember Finnick." She says motioning to her son.

"I do! He's gotten big since I last saw him!" I say

"Mom I told you to call me Fin!" he says

I laugh at him when he says this, displaying his teen self, reminding me that he is indeed not the Finnick I knew.

Peeta strikes up a conversation with Annie about her life.

"There you are Brainless." I hear a sarcastic voice say behind me.

"Hello Johanna."

"So, what's new with you?" she says

"Nothing much, I've mostly been helping the district to repair since the bombing." I say.

"You and Loverboy haven't been up to anything have you?" she says with a furtive smile.

I blush and start getting uncomfortable.

"Oh brainless, don't be so embarrassed." She smiles, twirling the end of my braid.

Peeta sees this and he comes to rescue me.

"Hello Johanna."

"Hello Peeta." She says, she drops the tip of my braid and steps back.

"How've you been?"

"I've been pretty good, nothing like being back at home!" she says to Peeta.

I stand there listening to their conversation when suddenly someone taps my shoulder.

"Hello Katniss." Beetee says after I turn around and face him.

"Hello Beetee!" I say wrapping the skinny middle-aged man in a hug.

"What have you been up to since we last saw you?" I ask.

"District 3 is still the head of the technological world, I've been helping develop some new medical technology. What about you?"

"I haven't really been up to anything. I've taught some kids how to hunt and helped repair district 12." I say.

"That's great!" he responds.

Before I can say another thing, Paylor enters the room and announces dinner.

The dining room is a large room with wooded walls and marble floors. 6 white with gray streaked marble columns line parts of the room. In the center is a dark brown table, probably walnut with nine chairs surrounding it.

I sit down next to Peeta and wait as everyone gets seated.

I glance up at the chandelier and look at its grand crystal shine as the light reflects off of it.

"Thank you for coming everyone." Paylor says, "I'm sorry for the grandeur of my dining room, its left over from before the rebellion."

"Its stunning!" Cressida says, while Pollex nods in agreement.

"Thank you. Anyway, I announce our dinner!" she says, and the food is brought out.

-After the meal-

"Now I want to get down to a matter of business." Paylor says, "I want to preserve some memories of the rebellion, and create a file of everyone's memories from the rebellion, I have some of the solders from my squadron who have agreed to contribute their memories. Will you?" she asks.

"I will." Says Enobaria

"Thank you Enobaria." Paylor said.

A brief silence follows.

Cressida looked at Pollex, then says, "Pollex and I agree."

Paylor nodes.

Annie slouches in her chair and fiddles with her napkin while Fin wraps one arm around his mother and starts whispering things into his mother's ear. He looks so much like his father that it seems like we were back eighteen years ago, and Finnick was calming Annie at the table we sat at in district 13.

"I'm in." Says Johanna.

"Me too." Beetee says

Annie looks up trembling, biting her lip with tears glistening in her eyes, and nods at Paylor. Paylor gives Annie a comforting smile in return.

Peeta and I look at each other then Peeta says; "We're in."

Haymich looks grudgingly up from his wine and nods.

"Thank you everyone!" Paylor says

-2 hours later-

"Thanks for having us Paylor." Peeta says as we exit through the door.

"No, Thank _you_ Mr. Mellark, Ms. Everdeen." She says

"You don't have to call us that, Peeta and Katniss are fine." Peeta says.

"Alright Peeta, Katniss. Thank you for coming."

We smile as we walk out the door with Haymitch tailing us.

We walk around the curb and begin to walk back to the hotel.

The street we're walking on suddenly goes black. It's a power outage.

Soon flicking lights start appearing in windows as people start lighting candles and battery lit lanterns.

We began to cross the street in the dark on our way back to the hotel.

It happens so suddenly.

I only heard the sound of an engine from a few blocks away. The next thing I saw was lights speeding at us, then the feeling of being pushed back into Haymitch, then seeing Peeta lying on the ground in a crumpled heap.

I kneel down and grab him, screaming his name, hoping for him to come to.

A young man stumbles out from behind the wheel of the car, holding his head.

"Oh my god! What did I do?" He mumbles surprised before running into an alleyway and disappearing.

People begin to appear from inside their houses; suddenly a crowd begins to form around us.

I continue to scream, getting my husband's blood over my hands.

Soon I hear sirens, then people come; paramedics, they begin to lift Peeta up and put him on a stretcher. Haymitch helps me up and grasps my shoulders to support me. Soon Peeta is carted off to the hospital in an ambulance. We stay at the scene and I tell the peacekeepers what happened.

They go off tracking the boy and leave us to be taken by a lower cop to the hospital.

-At the hospital-

I sit in the waiting room to the ER with Haymitch. I feel numb, just shocked. Whenever something happens, it's always Peeta who gets hurt.

I stare down at my hands looking at the dry blood on my hands and stained on my sleeves. Peeta's been in there for more than an hour.

Soon the woman from the front desk calls me over.

"Ms. Everdeen?" she squeaks

"Yes?" I say moving quickly over to the desk. She looks up with her cotton candy pink hair bouncing from her head movement

"The doctor wants to see you, he'll be out shortly." She says.

"Okay." I say, then go back and sit next to Haymitch.

"What was that about sweetheart?" he says,

"The Doctor, he's going to talk to me." I reply.

Haymitch nods.

-A while later-

"Ms. Everdeen?" a man with large spectacles says.

"Yes?" I yelp, anxiety reaching me now.

"Your Husband is fine, but we're going to have to keep him in here for a while."

"Okay." I say shakily.

"Its fine, we have him under anesthetics right now, he should be out of it soon. We're admitting him to room 311." He says

I shake my head.

"Alright, I have to go, the Nurse will call you when he's settled and conscious."

"Okay."

He disappears through the double doors back into the emergency area.

"So loverboy is staying?" Haymich says

"Yeah Haymitch, he is." I say.

Haymich nods.

We sit back down and wait.

-A few minutes later-

"Ms. Everdeen, You are needed at the desk!" shouts the pink haired woman says from the desk.

I briskly approach the desk.

"Yes!" I halfway shout at her.

"You have a phone call from district 12." She says handing me a phone. "It's a Dr. Hyphen."

I nod and put the phone to my ear.

"Hello Dr. Hyphen, its me, Katniss Everdeen speaking." I say into the receiver.

"Hello Katniss. I have your test results back." She says on the other line.

"Yes?" I say anxiously, curling the phone's wire around my hand. I want to know what she found. What if it's serious?

She pauses on the other end.

"Congratulations Ms. Everdeen. You're pregnant!" she says with a happy tone in her voice.

I drop the phone.

Me? Pregnant?

I can't believe my ears. It's like, when Prim was reaped. The air is knocked from my lungs.

I fish the phone from the floor.

"R-really?" I squeak into the speaker.

"Yes." She laughs.

"Okay." I say.

"I have to go. Just talk to me when you get back okay?" she says.

"Alright. Goodbye." And I hang up.

I make my way back to Haymitch shaking.

"What was that about Sweetheart?" he asks.

"Nothing."

"Is it really nothing?" he says.

"Yeah." I say; I want Peeta to know first.

We sit in silence for about ten minutes.

The pink haired lady comes over from her desk.

"Ms. Everdeen, your husband is ready for you to see him. He's on the third floor, eleventh room." She says.

"Thank you." I say.

I turn on my heel and make my way up to the elevators, Haymitch following me.

-Upstairs-

I stand outside Peeta's room. I'm scared. What if he has an attack?

"Haymitch, can you wait outside?" I ask,

"Okay sweetheart." He says

"Oh and if I scream, come in." I say.

He nods.

I creek open the door.

Peeta lies asleep on a slightly reclined hospital bed. He looks peaceful. His face isn't badly bruised, but he has a bandage around his head and his upper body is wrapped in a cast.

I walk over to his bed and grasp his hand.

I stroke his hand for a few minutes, and then bring it to my cheek.

I hear Peeta grumble.

He opens his eyes slowly.

"Hey." He smiles.

I smile back.

"How do you feel?" I ask.

"Terrible. What happened?" he asks.

I look down at his hand and bite my lip.

"We were walking back to the hotel and this car came out of nowhere, you pushed me into Haymitch, but it hit you, a-and…" I trail off,

"Oh…" He says, "Its okay, come here." He says, motioning me to come and lay next to him.

I lay down in the crook of his arm, careful to avoid his bandaged ribs.

We sit there in silence for a few minutes.

"I got a phone call." I say.

"Really? From who?" he asks

"The Clinic." I say while I sit up.

"What did they have to say?"

"They got my results back." I say.

"You did?"

"Yeah…" I say.

"What's the doctor's prognosis?" he asks,

"Um, its nothing much…" I say, I start fiddling with the tip of my braid, and Peeta looks at me with his big blue eyes, he knows that I'm hiding something.

"Really?" he says,

I move close to him then bend down so my lips are next to his ear.

"I'm pregnant." I say, and then move back.

He looks off into the distance, pondering what I just said.

Suddenly, it hits him.

He shoots forward and wraps me into a hug, then pulls away in pain.

He extends his arms to my shoulders after adjusting the bed and looks into my eyes.

"Really?" he smiles.

"Yes!" I say happily

"Have you told anyone yet?" he asks.

"No, I'm going to tell Haymitch later, and then maybe call my mom and tell her." I say

" Okay, but tell no one else." He said.

"Okay." I smile. Then I lay back into the crook of his arm.

There's a knock at the door.

"Hey are you guys done being alone?" Haymitch shouts from outside the room

"Yes Haymitch, you can come in now!" I shout.

He enters the room then sits down in a chair.

-Later-

Haymitch and I leave Peeta in the early hours of the morning.

"How about we get some coffee?" Haymitch asks.

"When did you ever like coffee?" I ask him

"Never Sweetheart, just wondering if you wanted something." He asks

"I guess maybe some hot chocolate might be nice." I say.

We manage to find a small diner that's open at this time and go inside.

We sit in a booth. The lower cushions are red and the back cushions are vertical striped red and white. I look around the place and there's just an old man finishing up a hamburger before paying his bill.

"What will it be hon?" says a plump tattooed woman with dark green hair.

"A hot chocolate." I say

"I'll have a coffee, black." Haymitch says

" 'Kay hons." She says and walks away behind the counter and pours our beverages.

"Here you go, with that be it?" she asks.

"Two slices of that pie over there." Haymitch says.

"Alright." She says, going back behind the counters and getting some pie.

Once she brings it she goes back thought the double doors into the kitchen.

Haymitch searches for anyone around before removing a flask from the inside of his overcoat and then pours some alcohol into the coffee.

I pick up my fork and slice into the pie. The taste of blueberry floods my mouth.

I briskly eat the pie, I never realized how hungry I was… its been a few hours since I last had anything to eat.

Haymitch arches his eyebrow before returning to his own pie.

After we finish our pie, the waitress comes to fetch the plates, leaving us with our cups in silence.

I take a sip of my hot chocolate.

"Haymitch,"

"Yeah?" he says

"Remember when I was called to the desk? Well I had a phone call, from the clinic in district 12." I say.

"And?" he asks.

"Well Haymitch, I'm pregnant." I tell him.

He looks at me. Just staring.

"This isn't another trick is it?" he asks

"No, it isn't."

"Well then sweetheart, congratulations." He smirks.

"Thanks."

The waitress comes with the bill; she's now wearing glasses.

"Here it is hons, have a nice-" she searches my face. "Wait a second… aren't you Katniss Everdeen?"

"Um, yeah, I am…" I say

"Oh my gosh! Its really an honor to meet you Ms. Everdeen!" she says

"Its nice to meet you too, Ms?"

"Vern, Olympia Vern."

"Well its nice to meet you Ms. Vern." I say.

"Would you mind signing this? It would be an honor to have the girl on fire's signature!" she says

"Okay." I say, picking up the pen and signed the notepad.

"Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. We really need to get back to the hotel." I say.

Haymitch puts cash into the envelope, with exact change.

"That's right sweetheart, we really should be going, it's been a long night…" Haymitch says.

"Okay, you have a nice night." She says.

"Thank you so much Ms. Vern. You have a nice night too." I say.

We exit the diner, and I let out an exasperated breath.

"I really hate when people do that…"

"You said it sweetheart." Haymitch says.

-Back at the Hotel-

I curl up under my covers and just fall asleep as the sun is rising.

End of Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

Life after Mockingjay chapter 7

_Hey everyone! I'm sorry if I've fallen off the map! I've been really, really busy with schoolwork (no I mean super busy) and a new fanfiction I'm co-writing with my friend Fearel. (To any Fullmetal Alchemist fans reading this; check out Fearel's profile page for our story- and if you've never heard of it, watch "Fullmetal Alchemist" it's an anime and its really, really, really awesome! And I mean the first one- not brotherhood- because that's the re-make (despite it being more like the manga), so watch the original and only after watching the whole series and the film Conquest of shamballa go read it!) _

_I am really flattered that you all really like my work, and I feel I've become a better writer because of it. And to anyone wondering, I am actually writing my own stories— Including one with Fearel in the real world- that's also why I've been missing, I've been working on my original works…. So yeah… sorry about that…_

_So, yeah. Here's the long awaited next chapter. _

-Two weeks later-

I stand near Peeta as we board the train; he's still in an upper body cast and needs to use crutches to get around until his leg heals.

"So, going home at last." he says, relieved.

"Yeah," I say.

"It's been a long two weeks." He brushes his hair back.

"Yeah, it has." I say. I am so relieved to be going home. No more capitol people, no more cities, no more hospitals and strict nurses- just home.

I have longed for the streets of district 12, with the familiar streets and the people who walk them. I miss the forest, even now that it would probably be bare; the sweet serenity that surrounds it makes it heaven. I miss my home. Although it still represents darker times, where you had to kill other children for the amusement of rich adults that paid you no thought and abused your resources and people, I still love it. Its wooden mantle over the brick fireplace, where Peeta and I have spent cold nights, gazing into the flames. The cozy library that leads into a study, where we keep the two books, the neat parlor that is barely used, that my mother always cleans when she comes- I even miss the stupid outdated capitol wall paper hanging in the guest bathroom that we never use.

"Katniss?" Peeta asks.

"Yeah?" I respond.

"Are you happy with everything?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" I say.

"It's just you seem so withdrawn."

I pause.

"What makes you think that?"

"You've gotten quieter- even quieter than you usually are and you always are deep in thought." He says.

"It's nothing." I say.

"This is far from nothing. What's on your mind?"

"It's not important." I say, looking away from him.

He grabs my shoulders and turns me toward him, and he stares into my eyes. His shocking blue eyes mesmerize me; they look deep into my soul, drawing the truth out.

"I've just been thinking about everything lately. I think if I've made the right choice. I'm afraid; I don't want anything bad to happen. I want to protect this baby- but am afraid I can't. Just like Prim." I pause for a moment to collect my breath, "And then I think of Prim, and how happy she would be. And I feel a hole inside of me, because she's not here. She should have been here! I went through all this suffering to save her- the hunger games, twice and a rebellion, and I failed! She died, she would have died in the games, and even after I saved her once, she still died. I don't want it to happen again."

Tears now flood my eyes. I haven't ever focused this hard on Prim's memory since I wrote about her in the book; I've been ignoring her memory so I don't fall back into a depressed state.

Peeta pulls me into a hug. I cry into his shoulder.

"It's okay," He says soothingly, burying his face in my hair. He rocks me back and forth gently so he wouldn't hurt himself.

"I just don't want anything bad to happen." I sob between gasps of air.

"I know. I know," he says soothingly.

-A few days later-

The train pulls into the station.

It heaves and shudders, then screeches before finally resting.

"We're home!" Peeta says while inhaling.

"Yeah, we are." I say happily, looping my arm under his and wrapping it around his back.

We step out of the train and I grab the two large suitcases from our room.

"You really shouldn't be doing that, Katniss," Peeta says to me.

"I'm fine!" I scream at him. I know that being pregnant and all makes me more "delicate," but I'll continue with my normal activity until I can't.

I shove the suitcases into the back seat of the car, and then I help Peeta to the passenger seat.

I learned to drive a car for these occasions. District 12 rolls past me as I drive to my home.

The sloping spiral road winds up the hill to Victor's village, where there is a circle to welcome those who come than it leads to a long strip of street. I turn onto my street then pull into the driveway of my house.

The November wind pulls at the loose strands of my hair as I walk around the other side of the car to help Peeta get out of the passenger seat.

"Ready?" I ask him as I grab his arms.

"As I'll ever be." He says.

I heave him up and hand him his crutches I had retrieved from the back seat.

He steadies himself and then smiles at me.

I smile back, and then walk to the trunk to get the suitcases.

I set the suitcases in the stoop then go back for Peeta

We struggle up small stairs to the front door, I'm holding around his back and together we climb the stairs, and then we're finally at the door.

I unlock the door, and lift the heavy suitcases and bring them inside.

Peeta follows after me.

The shadows of the early afternoon light on a cloudy day are cast upon our furniture.

I flip on the lights, and Peeta and I move to face our living room as we unbutton our coats.

Suddenly a flood of people jump out screaming;

"Welcome home!"

I back up, running into the door frame.

Peeta's face is at first shocked, his face is a bit pale and his pupils have contracted to little dots that expose the shocking blue. I thought that he may go into a venom attack, but then his shocked expression melts to a smile.

"You guys!" he says.

I'm too shocked to move.

Peeta gently drags me closer to him until I'm pressed up against his side.

I feel the cast's scratchy texture through my sweater.

I precariously looked over the scene at each of the faces in my living room.

I saw my mother in front, behind her were Annie and her son; Fin.

Johanna is near the couch and Haymitch was seated on the couch, obviously trying to keep as far away from Effie as possible. Effie was standing near the other end of the room and Lavender was standing in the middle. Our apprentices stood at the end opposite to them, all of them in a huddled mess.

Greasy Sae sits in a large arm chair and is accompanied by Misty.

I gaze at the dimwitted young woman, Misty may be slow but she takes care of her grandmother very well.

Hazelle stands next to her daughter Posie. I'm surprised they even came- being that Gale and I haven't spoken in almost fifteen years...

Beetee sits nonchalantly on the sofa near Delly Cartwright, who sits next to her husband Lysander Blanch. We only received a 'save the date' from them, and I haven't heard from them since.

Everyone just smiles at us and I burrow deeper into Peeta's shirt.

"We had to welcome you home- you've been gone for so long!" My mother says approaching me.

She wraps her arms around Peeta and me.

As soon as she releases us, Peeta smiles at everyone.

"Well- aren't we going to eat or something?" He says in a good-natured manor.

"Of course!" Effie squeaks from the couch.

She gets up wearing heels that look so bizarre- and that elevate her over most of the people in the room.

She then walks over to a table I hadn't noticed and motioned to the large array of food.

Everyone begins to eat and talk. Some approach me- greeting me then having short, polite conversations before walking away to speak to some other friend.

Delly then approaches me. I haven't spoken to her in years… I can't even remember the number.

"Hello Katniss." She says.

"Hello Delly."

"I haven't spoken to you in ages! Please forgive me for not writing!"

"That's fine." I say, I probably wouldn't have written back anyway, Peeta is the social one of the two of us.

A child of about five walks up behind her.

"Mommy, I can't find Jem." The little girl in brunette pigtails says, her blue eyes looking up at her mother.

"Oh, there you are Bonnie!" Delly says, "Katniss, this is my daughter Bonnie."

"Hello." I say to the little girl, attempting to smile sweetly.

She smiles, while burrowing her face in her mother's skirt.

"Sorry, she's shy."

"Mom! Have you seen Bonnie!" a tall boy about eight years old, with light blonde hair runs up behind Delly, fear crashes across his dark brown eyes.

"I have her right here! Jem you should have been watching your sister better!" Delly scolds.

"Sorry…" he trails off.

"Katniss, this is my son Jem."  
>"How do you do?" he ask me, extending his hand.<p>

"Fine, thank you." I say politely like my mother taught me many years ago.

I shake his hand.

"You have lovely children Delly." I say.

"They're a handful, but it's worth it!" she says while ruffling her son's hair.

She then shoos them off to play.

"What have you too been up to lately?" She asks me.

"Um- nothing much… Peeta works at the bakery, and I still hunt, but I have a booth at the hob, where I sell the pelts. I've trained other hunters too." I say.

"Wow. That isn't a lot!" she says, "I mean, compared to what the people of Panem speculate."

I give her a confused expression.

"They say that you and Peeta went your separate ways, sometimes. Others say that you live in the forest as a hermit and will not see anyone. Some say you moved to the capitol and had so much plastic surgery it's impossible to tell who you are, and that you changed your name. And some swear you died and that the Capitol media is making things up. Of course, there are those who know the truth." She says.

I'm startled at the rumors. I almost became a hermit, in the forest. Before Peeta and I were really getting along better to the point of almost- friendship, I escaped to the forest for a month, and told no one where I went. Peacekeepers were called and they dragged me back to my house where Greasy Sae was waiting for me, along with Peeta and Haymitch. I wasn't allowed to leave my house without a "sane" person for six months.

The Capitol rumor was overblown. I never would change my face. It was my face, the one with some minor, barely noticeable scars, it was my identity. It may have been the face of the girl on fire, the Mockingjay, with all of their bad reputations, but it was my face. And what the rumor said that I was living in the capitol was obscene.

I can see why they would think I was dead. I was caught in an explosion, and then went missing after the execution. My whereabouts were never released to the public.

"That's interesting Delly." I say with a bit of smirk.

"Yeah. Tabloids!" she says.

"Mom!" I hear, Then Delly turns to me and gives a good-natured eye role.

"It was nice talking to you Katniss, but duty calls!" she says

"Nice talking to you too." I say.

I sink back into the corner, my back resting on the door frame.

I draw a red cup to my lips and taste the sweet flavor of mango nectar, a popular juice in the capitol.

I continue to survey the scene, especially monitoring Peeta. He could fall, or a venom attack could occur.

I stare at him. He rests on a couch, deep in a conversation with Beetee, who sits in the nearby armchair. He looks over to me and smiles. I lift my free hand and smile back. He motions for me to join the conversation he's having with Beetee.

I walk over slowly, careful to avoid colliding with other people who crowd the walkway.

I reach where he sits. He never took his eyes off of me as I moved over here.

"There you are!" he says, smiling.

"Yes, here I am." I say, giving him a slight closed mouth smile, "Hello Beetee." I say, turning to the older genus.

I glance at him. He is no longer the forty-ish man who went into the 75th games with me, He is older. His hair has little dark brown spots in it anymore; it now sports a mostly grey color. His eyes are wrinkly around the edges, along with the area around the cheeks, but his eyes failed to change.

"Hello Katniss." He says, giving me a closed mouth grin, "How have you been?" He asks.  
>"I'm doing fine." I say. I don't think I've done much since the rebellion. I've just lived a simple life, stitching myself back together. Doing things that make me feel better- it helps ward away the days where I lie upon the couch as an empty shell, neither speaking or moving or even caring about what is going on around me.<p>

All I feel is my grief and sorrow.

The cold, empty numbness that is the heavy yolk of my failure to save Prim. The guilt of my blood stained hands. The pain that I put Peeta through because we got separated, and the fact that what the Capitol did to him, makes him wonder what my feelings are.

I love him.

No longer am I the teenager asked to pick sides on who she wants, and being indecisive. I am an adult woman, now able to know her way. I wish he could tell himself that in the venom rage, and know it to be true.

"And you?" I ask him, drowning my thoughts.

"I'm fine, I've been working in district 3 on creating a way to solve the trackerjacker problems in district 11, and it's so bad there." He says pleasantly

"That's great!" I say.

"Have you two done your interview yet?" He asks me.

"No. Not yet." Peeta says. Despite the fact we only said we would two weeks ago… I guess Paylor acts fast.

"I did," Beetee says, "I explained my life before the games. All the things in district 3. I remembered all my loved ones- My mother died of an illness during my games. I described the horror of my games, and the blackmail afterwards… I mentioned my experience on the rebellion too." He said.

"That's a perfect thing for the documentary." Peeta says.

Beetee just smiles.

"They still have your bow Katniss." He says.

The beautiful bow that he made for me, the Mockingjay. I still love that bow. The mockingjay outfit must rest with it then… I just hope that they never wish for me to wear it again.

Although it was Cinna's last piece of work- I will never wear it again.

"I would love to be able to shoot it again." I say.

"You still hunt?" He asks.

"Yes. I've trained a few other hunters. We have restrictions though." I tell him.

"That's great." He says.

"Hey you guys!" Johanna says as she raps an arm around Beetee, and leans her body against his armchair.

"Hello Johanna." Peeta says,

"Lovely to see you too Johanna." Beetee says

"So, How you doin' loverboy." She says as she creeps closer to Peeta

"Fine Johanna." Peeta says.

"Hello Johanna."

"Hello Brainless." She says with a smile.

It doesn't matter how long it has been since I've met her, but she will always call me brainless.

Beetee is called to separate Haymitch and Effie from an argument.

"So, anything new with you two?"

I am so sick of this question!

"No, nothing at all Johanna." I say bitterly.

"What's crawled up your butt and died?" she asks.

"Nothing. She's probably sick of that question." Peeta says covering my back.

"Oh. Sorry about that." She says.

"So, Johanna, what have you been up to?" Peeta asks.

"Nothing much. Just been fixing my district- and yeah." She says.

"Nice." He says back to her.

"I can't-" Johanna begins saying, before Effie summons her, "guh… Effie calls." She says with a smirk before walking off.

I continue to sit next to Peeta on the couch.

"I'm going to get up for a second." Peeta says as he starts go get up.

"Do you need my help?" I ask him, beginning to get up.

"No, I'm fine." He says.

He then proceeds to walk out of my sight.

I begin to again survey the scene, when suddenly; Peeta stands upon the few stairs leading up to a window seat.

I stare at him in shock, carefully watching his every move, hoping he won't fall.

He then asks Annie to hand him a Champaign glass, filled to the middle with the sparkly, bubbling yellowy liquid.

He clears his throat, then parts his lips and begins to speak.

"Attention! Attention everyone!" He says, gathering the attention of the room, "Thank you, everyone. I am stunned, that all of you gave us such an amazing homecoming!"

He is interrupted by clapping. He then proceeds to put his hand up, signaling that he wants to continue.

"I just want to quickly make a toast- to us. To all of us," He pauses, "These past eighteen years have been hard for everyone. We all have suffered and sacrificed," He looks down, "I've lost everything. My family. Many of my friends. My childhood home, but I've rebuilt my life, so have you all. We have survived." He smiles.

"To us!" he says, raising his glass, many follow suit, I was even handed one of the gasses, but I placed it to the side table to my left, and use my red cup.

"Here! Here!" someone shouts from the crowd.

Everyone drinks the bubbling liquid.

Peeta grins from the step.

I get up to use the restroom.

I close the door and do my business, then wash my hands and look at my face in the mirror.

I look tired. I am tired. I haven't had a good night's sleep for days. I've been worried about Peeta and I wake up at all strange hours of the night, to raid a fridge or go throw up whatever I just had eaten… life at night is unpleasant.

I then turn the knob to leave the small powder room.

As I open the door my mother stands right in front of me, her light hair shines in the setting sun that is entering the house from the windows.

"Um, Hello Mother." I say.

She thrusts her arms around me in a hug.

When she looks into my eyes, they reveal everything.

"Congratulations Katniss." She says.

I had forgotten to call her after I found out. I had been exhausted and the next day was spent with Peeta in the hospital, keeping him company. And I had to deal with all the unpleasant hospital stuff.

"You knew?" I ask her.

"Peeta called me." She smiles, "Your sister and your father would be so happy right now."

I begin to tear a bit.

"I know." I reply.

"I Just can't believe it." She says.

"Believe what?" I ask,

"I'm going to be a grandmother." She grins.

I smile at the poor woman in front of me, bent with age and sorrow, her hair loosing color and skin drooping.

I was once angry. She left Prim and me on our own to die. But I realize that same pain now. I felt it when Prim died. That heavy burden of loss.

I forgive her.

We walk back to the main room, where the party continues.

Apparently while I was in the bathroom, Peeta decided to tell everyone our little surprise… I guess he could not hold it in any more. I'm flooded with congratulations, and well wishes.

After everything is cleaned up and everyone leaves, Peeta and I retire to bed.

I have a pleasant dream for the first time in years.

I see all the departed- Finnick, Cinna, Rue, Prim and my Father.

Each is happy for me.

-End of Chapter 7-


	8. Chapter 8

Life after Mockingjay Chapter 8

_Hey everyone! I'm glad so many enjoyed my last chapter! (Although I wish I had got more reviews! PLEASE REVIEW) _

_I just want to note that I got flamed by an anonymous review. (It's my first flame and I just want to put this out there) For all those who are unfamiliar with the term "flame", it's when a very rude person negatively comments on a story without constructive criticism. (This is rude and very unproductive)  
>Example: THIS SUCKS YOU SHOULD STOP WRITING<br>I know how I'm not supposed to react and all, but this is all I will say on the matter, and that will be it.  
>First of all, I just want to say that to "Liz" if you hated my story why did you continue to the most recent chapter? Really, if you don't like it, leave. And to give a flame review under an anonymous name and review is cowardly, you are afraid I will contradict your statements. You are afraid of a comeback.<br>Second of all, there's a common rule in life and no matter which religion you follow it all comes out to one basic rule: Treat people the way you want to be treated.  
>I don't think you would like to be flamed so don't do it.<br>And Third of all, if you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all.  
>So yeah, that's all I will say on the matter. <em>

_Sorry this is so late! I wanted to post much earlier, but my life got in the way… so six months from my intended post date, I'm posting it now! _

_**DISCLAMER: ARTEMISKEY DOES NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES, CATCHING FIRE OR MOCKINGJAY. ALL EVENTS THAT HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE IN THIS STORY ARE NOT MINE, THEY BELONG TO SUZANNE COLLINS, AND I ONLY OWN A FEW OF THE CHARACTERS ONLY MENTIONED IN THIS STORY. **_

_Without further ado, _

_Chapter 8! (taking place in late March)_

The Hob is crowded today. The early spring air drifts through the open doors of the large warehouse.

Many seam families, now better off than before gather to collect fresh produce at a cheap price.

Although we now make medicine here, a lot of the seam families are still not as rich as the town families, but they do make better money than working in the mines.

A few have come to buy my wears, pelts have been coming and going, much of the leather I sell has been sold. I made a deal with the tanner a few months ago, that I would bring him half of my pelts to tan, and I would give him the first pick after the butcher on the meat of the animals.

My stomach was huge now. A few months ago I no longer could conceal the bump beneath a thicker shirt. I now wear some maternity clothes sent from district eight. The concept that I will be a mother in a matter of a few more months has become more real to me. As well as Peeta…

He's recovered from his injuries, and now insists on doting on me hand and foot.  
>Although I love him and his concern, I often shake it off and do it myself… however; he has since stopped me from hunting. My apprentices bring me their pelts so I can sell them. I give them a cut of the deals for their hard work.<p>

I miss the forest. Now the trees would have the beginning of leaves on them, the forest floor would be damp from the rain and animals would begin waking from their winter slumber. The smell of the dirt would be prominent in the spring air, along with the smell of the new flowers.

I yearn for my former retreat. The freedom, the wild; but that shall not be for now. I have other things to attend to.

I sit in the chair at the register.

The sun shines through the large windows and through the large door.

A boy about nine or ten years old approaches my booth. He has olive skin, and dark hair. A seam kid. He's slim and a bit tall.  
>He slips his hands over each of the pelts I laid out over the front table. He lays his hand upon some tanned deerskin.<br>The Boy just strokes it for a while, and then examines the quality.

"You going to buy that or just keep staring at it?" I ask him.  
>His head darts up as if he's just noticed me.<br>He has high cheekbones, and a well sculpted face for a young boy.  
>His eyes are grey, much like mine. In fact if people didn't know that I'm only just now having my first child, they would think I was this boy's mother.<p>

He gives a slight smile.  
>"How much is this one?" He asks.<p>

"That whole pelt? Fifty."

He lets out a long whistle.

"You see, I'm not from here, and well… I don't have any cash on me… but I have this…" he says, pulling out a simple gold band, "it was my mother's… she died recently."

I stare at the gold band. And the sight of the simple gold band strikes a chord with me.  
>My mother didn't even get to get my father's wedding ring from the mines, being that he was buried in with it… I have no idea if she would have let me sell it if we were at the brink of death… she defiantly didn't give me hers… in fact she still wears it.<br>This boy must be so poor that he probably has to sell this… but on a pelt? Probably for a coat… the winters here are harsh.

"Keep it." I say, "You can have the pelt for free."

As I'm handing him the pelt, a young woman walks up, her hair the same color as the boy's, and she looks similar to him.

"Atti! What are you doing!" she shrieks at him

"N-nothing!" He says nervously, as if he was caught in the middle of a crime.

"I saw the whole thing! Give it back or pay her properly!"

"Rosie-!"

"No Atti, not excuses!"

She snatches the pelt from him and hands it back to me.

"I'm so sorry. My brother's just been so much trouble lately!"

"That's alright…" I say. This boy… he seems so familiar… but why would he be trying to steal?

"Atti! Apologize!" she orders.

"I'm sorry." He says, like it's become a trained response.

"Rosie? What's going on?" a man's voice says

"Oh, Dad. Atti just tried to steal from this woman here." She says.

"I'm sorry. My son has been –" he stops mid-sentence as I turn to face him.

We both stare at each other for a moment both in shock.  
>The man that stands before me I haven't seen in fifteen years.<br>He's older. Just beginning to get some small wrinkles near his eyes and his brow has a worry crease.  
>He looks tired and worn down, as if he has just had the weight of the world upon his shoulders.<p>

"Hey Gale." I say to him, breaking the shock between us.

"Katniss?" He says, a bit like he's checking to see if it's still me.

"Yes!"

He reaches over and gives me a slight hug, which I return, although unusual for me, I'm surprised to see him here.

"It's been a while." He says a bit grudgingly.

"It has." I say, "What are you doing back here?"

"I'm visiting my mother for a while. I believe you remember Rosemary." He continues motioning to the girl standing beside him. I only remembered her as the small one year old at my wedding, with the piercing grey eyes.  
>"And this," He says, "Is Atticus." He motions to the boy who looks like he could be a mirror image of his father.<br>I nod to the two kids. Rosemary is now sixteen, the same age I was when I went into the games.  
>However I doubt that Gale has told them about me yet.<p>

"When do you get out for lunch?" he asks me.

"In an hour." I say, it's about eleven now, and I usually eat at Greasy Sae's booth.

"How's about we catch up then?" He asks me.

"Sure." I say.

"See you then." He says  
>I give him a slight smile, then he turns and walks away with his kids.<p>

A billion thoughts rush though my head.

What to say to the man I haven't spoke to in fifteen years.  
>He must have been mortified that his son tried to steal from me.<br>He must have been mortified that I moved on in my life.  
>The Katniss He knew would have never been pregnant… yet here I am… pregnant….<p>

I Push the thoughts from my head, and then continue my work until I break for lunch.

I meet Gale in front of the hob.

"Hey." He says nonchalantly.  
>"Hey." I respond, holding in all my anxiety.<br>"You don't mind if we just stroll around for a while do you?" He asks me.  
>"Not at all." I say, giving a nervous laugh.<br>We stroll down the streets to the meadow where the memorial to the victims of the district 12 bombing is, as well as many of their bodies.  
>We stop.<br>He directs me to a small bench.  
>"So, how is everything?" He asks a bit awkwardly.<br>"It's fine."  
>"That's nice. Congratulations by the way." He says.<br>"Oh, thanks."  
>There's a few minutes of silence between us.<br>"So your son…"  
>"Atticus. Yes. He's ten years old."<br>"Does he steal often?"  
>"he tries." Gale says, trying to be humorous.<br>I give a bit of a forced laugh, trying to respond to the tone.  
>"How's Sage? I haven't seen her yet?" I ask politely.<br>He grows silent and it looks like a shadow falls against his face.  
>"She's dead." He says.<br>I'm thrown into shock. This kindly woman who I barely knew is dead. It seemed the boy's story was true.  
>"I-I'm so sorry." I whisper.<br>"Last month. There was a plague in district two, and she caught it… we came here to escape it." He said.  
>"Oh." I say.<br>The shadow grows darker and longer on his face.  
>" I miss her so much." He says.<br>I pity him. Not only did he lose me eighteen years ago, he now lost Sage.  
>I pat his shoulder, trying to console him.<br>He looks up at me.  
>"Thanks Catnip."<br>I give a slight smirk at my old nickname.  
>"So… how have you been?" He asks me.<br>"Fine, just rebuilding here…" I say, stating my contribution to the community. I help build homes sometimes, but the need for my assistance has gone down.  
>"That's good." He says.<br>"So… Have they learned about the games yet?" I ask, a bit curious on when it's taught, I want to know when my child will learn about the games… about me… about my past.  
>"Rosemary has. Atti has to wait until he's twelve."<br>"They teach them about it when they're twelve?"  
>"They touch on it, like a description and some of the history of it. It's not until they're Rosemary's grade when they see actual footage. They only watch the last few." He says.<br>"They see mine." I say.  
>"Rosie likes yours." He says.<br>"She liked you. You were the one who was different than the rest."  
>I tilt my head up.<br>"She doesn't know it's you though. She has no idea that she's met you before." He smiles.  
>"She hasn't seen the family interview piece yet has she?" I say<br>"No. She hasn't. I have to explain beforehand about the 'cousin' bit."  
>"Yeah…" I say. I wonder how many people still believe that old lie.<br>"She hasn't gotten to the actual games piece yet. Right before we came here she was at the beginning of the interviews."  
>He and I both shift a bit at the mention of the interviews. The moment that changed my life forever- part two.<br>It changed my title in the games drastically, from "Girl on Fire" to "Star-crossed Lover" something I wasn't prepared for nor was it something that I agreed with.  
>"Are you going to watch the rest with her?"<br>"I'm going to let Posie do most of it. I don't want to relive it." He said.

The memory must be hard for him… During the actual event he must have been so anxious for me, and Angry at the whole "star-crossed lovers" thing.

It must be as hard for him as it is for me to re-watch them.

Suddenly the Clock tower in town square (a new addition) strikes one.  
>"I have to go…" I say<br>"Sorry we didn't get to eat." He says.  
>"That's fine." I say, "Would you walk me back?"<br>He nods, and then stands up off.  
>We begin to walk and as we do I take a small loaf of bread out of my pocket. I keep it there as a snack usually. I then rip it in half and hand him a piece.<br>He begins to eat it and I eat mine.  
>Soon we arrive back at the hob, and we bid each other good bye, and he walks off to the seam.<p>

I enter the house and smell the intoxicating smell of vegetable soup.  
>I enter the kitchen and see Peeta standing at the stove, stirring the pot.<br>"Hey." I say  
>"Hey." He responds, giving a slight simile and then scooping the soup into bowls.<p>

I sit down at the kitchen table and he comes and gives me the bowl.  
>I begin to eat it slowly, letting the taste flood my mouth and savor it.<p>

"How was the bakery?" I ask him.

"Fine. Nothing huge. One of the ovens broke." He says.

"Really?" I respond.

"Yeah, I called the repair man, he's coming tomorrow.

"Oh. Good." I said.

"How was your day?"

I pause to think of the right words to say.

"Um- Gale came to see me." I say, the words stick in my throat and come out sounding a bit like a question.

He pauses.

"What did he want?" He says a bit harshly.  
>"He's back in town staying with his mother. Sage is dead." I say.<br>He doesn't respond, nor will he make eye contact with me.

"He seems very upset about it. His kids are really paying the price." I say.

He nods his head.

We finished the rest of the meal in painstaking silence. Every time I look at his face, I see him scowling into his bowl of soup, eating it a bit violently.  
>After we clean up, we meet on the couch in front of our brick fireplace.<p>

He wraps his arm around me and leans in close.  
>"I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier. I didn't know what to say." He says.<br>"It's fine." I say. I know he may possibly still harbor sour feelings towards Gale from whatever memories that have come back.  
>We sit in silence for a few minutes.<p>

"Katinss?"  
>"Yeah." I respond.<br>"Being that the baby is due in three months, have you thought of any names yet?" He asks.  
>"Um… a little bit." I say. For once he doesn't catch me off guard.<br>"I was thinking if it's a boy, Theseus." Peeta says.  
>"I like Hunter." I say.<br>"I think both are good names." He responds.  
>"What if it's a girl?" I ask.<br>"What about Primrose?" He asks.  
>I grow silent.<br>"What?" he asks  
>"I don't want to name her after Prim. This baby, if it's a girl, she deserves her own name." I say.<br>"Then what names do you like?" He responds.  
>"I like Anastasia and Calliope personally." I tell him.<br>"In that case, I like Edana."  
>"What type of name is Edana?" I ask.<br>"A girl's name. I heard it once and I liked it."  
>I smile at him, and then he affectionately rubs my swollen stomach.<br>We then go up to bed, where I fall into a dream less sleep.

_**End of Chapter Eight. **_

_Hope you enjoyed, sorry it took me so long! (life happended _

_And now that I have your attention: the three girl's names mentioned above are my finalists, so I'll put up a poll on my page and your vote will influence which names I picked. I was sure to make sure that all the names I listed (even the boy's names) all connected to the series.  
>So for your benefit they are the following: <em>

_Anastasia: it means: to Rise again (like Panem, re-rising from the rebellion… or the rising of bread)  
>Calliope: The name of one of the Greek Muses of Music. (The head muse and mother of Orpheus) (Beautiful voice, like Katniss')<br>Edana: Little fire (very common in fics that don't name after previous characters use this one) (do I need to explain?) _

_So yeah, please vote! Your input is very important to me and I've been planning this for two years now!_


	9. Chapter 9

Life after Mockingjay chapter 9

_Hello dearest readers! I'm sorry this is late; as of currently I'm swamped in schoolwork.  
>On a different note, I would LOVE TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME FOR TWO WHOLE YEARS! <em>

_Wow, I can't believe I've been on fanfiction that long!_

_That's right Ladies and Gentlemen! This story has been on the site for a total of two wonderful years! _

_And I'm finally getting around to this chapter! _

_I really want to thank all of you because it's your support and constructive criticism that's made me a better writer than I was two years ago! _

_Now, some important stuff: _

_I didn't get enough reader input so their Daughter's name will not mentioned until I decide between the three! (That and my sister, who sometimes lies, has given me information that Suzanne Collins has given out their kid's names… so far I have found no such information, but if you did, have can you please tell me to see if our notes match up?) (PM or comment, if our notes match up, then I know it's not false and just a rumor.) (Please also be able to tell me where, I want to read it myself just for the historical significance.) _

_And #2 do you guys think I should re-write the first two chapters? _

_(Options are: 1. Keep them the way they are, 2. Keep the same plot, but write it better, and 3. Change it) The only reason I say this is because looking back, I was in a bit of a fangirl haze and now that I think about it, I don't think that their proposal and wedding would have happened like that, but then again, if you guys like it, then tell me. Also, I don't believe them to be of a good quality of writing. _

_I'm giving you, my readers, the option so you have a bit of say in the writing/editing of my story. _

_I don't want to upset you, I just want to make my story even better!_

_ALSO, PLEASE VOTE ON A BABY NAME! IT'S ON MY PROFILE PAGE AND IS OPEN TO EVERYONE! SO PLEASE VOTE! I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANT YOUR IMPUT. (all this of course is non-void if what I mentioned above is true)_

_**Graphic material ahead**_

_Artemis Key does not own the Hunger games, catching fire or mockingjay, but she does own this story, you steal my characters that I've made or my events and you're in trouble._

_Ok, so here goes nothing! _

I lay in bed, elevated by pillows. The window is cracked open, letting in the early summer breeze.

What I wouldn't give to be out in the woods right now, up in the trees and eating wild fruit off of their bushes.

But right now, I lie in bed, my feet elevated trying to ease a foot ache.

Either way I wouldn't be able to get very far into the woods in the same amount of time I usually take, my belly has become so big, that I can no longer see my feet over it.

The midmorning light is pouring into the room from the window that lights up on my side of the bed.

I let my thoughts rewind back to a few months ago, when Gale returned.

Since then, he's lived in his mother's house with Rosemary and Atticus and has gotten himself a steady job at the mayor's office.

He comes and sees me sometimes. He looks worse and worse, but he tries to hide it behind a mask of pleasantness. He always speaks about the days when we would go in the woods and hunt, and those days when we would dream of running away together.

I can't help but see that he is in pain, each step, each movement of his hand, and behind each smile. I no longer see the fire in his eyes like he used to have.

I ask him what's wrong, but he never answers me.

He seems like a shadow of his former self.

My thoughts are interrupted when Peeta enters the room.

He's wearing a light blue tee shirt that makes the shocking blue of his eyes stand out even more as his hair glimmers in the sunlight.

"Hey." He smiles.

"Hey." I smile back.

"You look so beautiful." He grins, sitting down on the side of the bed, next to my feet.

I give him a bigger smile as he rests his hand on my abdomen.

"Soon." He says.  
>"Very soon." I say. With each growing day, the baby is growing bigger and soon, very soon, it would be coming.<p>

I don't know if I'll be ready for it. To be a mother- what if I'm too harsh? What if it doesn't love me? What if I fail? Just like with Prim…

I shouldn't think of that! I can't think of that!

I will protect my baby.

I will not fail.

He seems so overjoyed at this moment.

It almost hurts me to want to ask him what's been sitting in my mind for a while now.

"Peeta?" I say.

He smiles a bit.

"I want to talk to you about something." I say to him.

"What is it?" he asks.

"I- um… nothing." I say. Maybe I shouldn't mention it…

"No really, tell me." He says.

I let out a sigh.

"I don't want you in the room with me when I have the baby." I tell him reluctantly.

He looks stunned for a moment.

"W-why?" he stutters out, his confusion and anger clear in his voice.

"I just don't want you to have an attack while it's happening-"

"I won't! It's not likel-"

"Peeta. I don't want to risk it. The screaming, or the shuffling of feet could set you off… Last time we were at the hospital they needed to sedate you because you couldn't handle the brightness of the light on the floor. There will be people in the room, and I wouldn't want them or you to get hurt." I explain.

He looks down defeated, knowing I'm right, but he doesn't want to admit it.

After a moment he breaks the silence.

"Do you want me to bring you anything?" He asks sadly.

"Sure. Can I have some tea?" I ask him.

"Sure." He smiles weakly, and then he leaves the room.

I feel guilty for asking him to do this.

He wanted a child so badly, and I'm denying him the right to see it born.

But his venom attacks have been being set off so easily lately.

The gleam of light off a tile floor, seeing red paint go down the drain as he cleans his brushes, the sound of thunder and sometimes the smell of meat. It's so easily set off that we could be sitting eating dinner and it could be just the way I'm sitting.

Despite the frequency, his attacks aren't as violent. Most of the time he'll jerk back a limb or drop something, sometimes grasping a chair or grinding his teeth, but his more violent ones could include pushing, screaming, crying and more aggressive behavior.

I don't want him to accidently hurt one of the attendants, himself, me or even worse; the baby.

He would never forgive himself if he were to hurt it.

He already loves it so much, although he knows nothing about it.

He can't wait to see it.

I couldn't bear to see him upset.

After waiting for a while, I suddenly started to feel funny.

Little spasms radiate from my abdomen.

It doesn't bother me much, so I don't make anything of it.

When Peeta comes back up, he hands me a mug of peppermint tea.

"I've been thinking about what you said. And I'll do it." He says reluctantly.

"Thank you." I say, with a grateful smile.

"Should we go downstairs?" he asks.

"Why not?" I say.

I awkwardly get up from my lounging position, shifting my wait from one arm to the other, struggling to get up to an upright sitting position.

I silently curse the large belly that's grown on my small frame.

It isn't until Peeta offers me his arm do I sit up and am able to stand.

We make our way down the steps.

I grasp the banister in order not to go falling face-first down the stairs.

When I get down the stairs, Peeta is already at the bottom, standing very still, grasping the edge of the doorway into our living room.

I gently touch his shoulder.

He jerks his head around, his eyes wild.

I try and put on my calmest voice.

"Peeta, it's okay."

"N-no." He mutters

"Yes it is. Everything is fine."

He chokes on some words that I don't here before crumbling into a heap.

He begins to sob, and I rub his back.

After a few minutes he stops, he sits up and wipes his face.

"Sorry." He sniffs.

"It's fine." I say.

He nods and we get up off the floor and walk into the den.

I feel another twinge of pain, I still say nothing to Peeta, and he doesn't need to know about gas. What I think is gas.

We sit on the couch and I rest my head up against his shoulder.

"Should we put on the tv?" he asks.

"Sure." I say. I don't particularly care for the programs, but if it will help him calm down, I'll say yes every time.

He flips to a capitol soap opera.

"_But Johanna? Why?" _said a green haired teen.

By how old the girl was, she her character was probably named after none other than Johanna Manson.

I soon find myself absorbed in the program.

Hours go by and the gas reappears and soon the pain grows sharper.

Suddenly, I feel something warm and wet trickling down my leg.

"Um… Peeta?"

"Hrm?" he groans.

"I-I think it's happening." I stutter.

"What's happening?" He asks.

"It!" I shout at him.

He looks at me, then down at the now wet couch.

"Oh!" He exclaims then frantically blinks for a second.

"Call my mother." I mutter to him frantically.

I may not like her, but she knows what she's doing.

She's the only one I can trust right now.

He scrambles up off the couch and runs to the landline.

I hear him mutter to the receiver and then he hangs up.

"She's coming." He says, "She's bringing some of her associates."

I feel another wave of pain.

"What does she say to do?" I ask panicked.

Peeta looks at me, he can see the fear in my eyes.

He walks over to me, and says in a calm voice, "It's okay."

"No it's not!" I say.

"Yes it is." He whispers.

I look into his eyes. The shocking blue frightens me, but his eyes are calm.

I try to avoid his gaze.

Most of the time, staring into his eyes is a chilling reminder of the past.

But not today, his eyes are a comforting sight.

They are a normal thing in this abnormal occurrence.

"You're going to be alright." He says to me.

Another wave of pain comes.

This time, it hurts.

Pain.

Such a familiar feeling.

"Your Mother said to bring you upstairs, to the guest room." He says

"The guest room?"

"Yeah."

I look up at him.

"Lets go."

We mount the stairs.

I have to move slowly.

I can't go quickly,

Before I am even halfway up the stairs, the pain hits again.

I cry out.

"Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" He mutters a bit loudly, he then grabs my arm and uses his free arm behind my back to rush me up the stairs.

Another wave hits me as I get into the bedroom.

"I need to sit down."

I sit on the bed.

As soon as I set myself on the mattress, the doorbell rings.

Peeta speeds downstairs.

I hear my mother downstairs.

I hear her stepping up the stairs.

It has been a while since I've talked to her.

Since I announced I was pregnant, I haven't spoken to her much.

Just an occasional phone call, and it's usually her who calls.

After Prim died, our already bad relationship got worse.

We didn't speak except for a few phone calls every few weeks, I didn't see her face to face until I got engaged.

And despite what it seems, we still aren't that close.

But she's the only one I can trust right now.

I need her.

When they reach the bedroom, my mother sees me curled up on the bed, writhing in pain.

"Katniss!" she shouts at me, running to my side, "No, don't curl up! It will just make it worse!"

I listen to what she says. Soon the pain passes.

"Peeta, can you get a nightgown for Katniss?" she asks.

He leaves the room and she comes over to me.

"How close are your contractions?" she asks.  
>"Um? A few minutes?" I respond I have no clue how long this has been going on.<p>

It puzzles me on how she even knows this, she didn't deliver babies when she was just a healer, and she must have learned a lot while being a nurse.

Peeta returns with one of the nightgowns that I purchased

Its blue with short sleeves that reaches to about my knees.

"Thank you Peeta." She says, "Katniss, change into this."

Peeta leaves the room and my mother begins to prepare her young assistants.

I quickly begin to change out of my clothes and into the nightgown.

In the meantime, the attendants, Layla and Delilah have stripped the rarely used bed, except for a couple of pillows, and covered it in a canvas sheet.

Just like the one Prim and I used.

"Katniss, get on the bed and make yourself comfortable." My mother commands me.

I lay down on the bed and a hospital blanket is draped over me.

Another wave of crippling pain comes.

"That's ten minutes." She says to the one I think is Layla.

The brown-haired girl nods.

"Where's Peeta?" My mother asks.

"I asked him not to be in here when I-!" I'm cut off by a wave of pain, a lot sooner than the last.

"That's much closer than the last!" The girl with blonde hair says.

What happens next is all a blur.

Time passed on so quickly.

More pain, heavier breathing, and the world began to spin.

Time seemed to disappear into an endless haze of pain.

I feel like I'm watching this all from the outside.

The pain overwhelms me.

It only stops when I hear the wailing.

It sounds like a cat yowling and a scream.

But it's not.

It's my baby.

My mother comes over to me holding a small bundle, swathed in a white cotton blanket.

"It's a girl." She says to me.

I smile.

"Can I hold her?" I ask.

"Of course." She smiles and hands me my baby.

She's red, damp, and has a wrinkled face, but she's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, I can't hold back the tears.

"She looks exactly like you." She says.

"She does?" I sniff.

"Yes." She smiles.

For a brief moment, my daughter opens her eyes.

I am shocked.

"They're blue." I say.

"All babies' eyes are blue." My mother remarks.

"No, not like this." I say, sniffing.

I should know, I see the same shocking blue every day. Every time Peeta looks at me.

"They're Peeta's eyes." I say, a tear rolls down my cheek.

She smiles at me.

"I think we should let Peeta in."

"Okay." I say weakly.

She opens the door and he steps in the room.

He smiles.

"Hey." He says.

"Hey I smile."

He walks over to us and sits on the side of the bed and puts his arm around me. I just pause and take a breath to try and steady my racing heart.

I want to freeze this perfect moment and just stay in it forever.

So on the day of June 27th, I became a mother, and I think I'm ready.

Holding my daughter, I made a promise to her.

I will never let anything harm her, ever.

I will not fail.

I can do this.

I can do this, right?

_End of Chapter 9_


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